A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member based in Lagos, Ushie Uguamaye, widely known as Raye, has come forward with allegations of receiving threats following a viral TikTok video in which she criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In the video shared on her TikTok account, @talktoraye, Raye expressed her frustration over the escalating economic challenges in Nigeria, stating that hard work no longer guarantees financial stability. She openly referred to President Tinubu as a “terrible leader” and questioned the government’s commitment to alleviating citizens’ hardships. Additionally, she described Lagos State as a “smelling state,” highlighting concerns about poor living conditions.
Following the video’s widespread circulation, Raye claimed she began receiving threats, purportedly from NYSC officials pressuring her to remove the content. Expressing her concerns on Instagram (@iamraye__), she wrote, “Dear Nigerians, I am already getting threatened by the NYSC board to stop speaking on this issue. Less than 24 hours, I’m already getting threatened by the government, starting with the NYSC board!” She further added, “Dear Nigerians, they have my address. In case you guys don’t see me online, please you know who to hold accountable. I didn’t do anything wrong; I just asked that they work on the inflation.”
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In response to these developments, human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, accompanied Raye to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office in Eti-Osa, Lagos. However, upon arrival, the officials were reportedly absent. Sowore shared on social media, “We arrived at the Eti-Osa NYSC office with Youth Corper Ushie Rita Uguamaye in Lagos. She was scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we escorted her with attorneys, but the LGI absconded, failing to show up throughout our stay.”
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has also weighed in on the matter, expressing support for Raye. TUC President Festus Osifo acknowledged the frustration behind her remarks and urged the government to show tolerance toward critics rather than targeting individuals for expressing their views. He stated, “They (the government) have to develop this resilience to understand that people are frustrated, people are hungry, people are tired. So, if they decide to vent, I strongly believe that the government should not personalize it and come after such individuals.”
As of now, the NYSC has not issued an official statement regarding Raye’s allegations. The situation continues to unfold, drawing national attention to the broader issues of free speech and citizens’ rights to critique their government without fear of reprisal.
