Atiku, Raye and Obi

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Amnesty International Nigeria, and human rights lawyers have condemned alleged threats directed at a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, following her viral video criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration over rising economic hardship.

Uguamaye, popularly known as #talktoraye on TikTok, gained attention after posting a video expressing dissatisfaction with the current economic state under Tinubu’s leadership. In the video, she openly criticized the administration, calling Tinubu a “terrible leader” and questioning the government’s efforts in alleviating citizens’ struggles.

Following the video’s widespread circulation, Uguamaye claimed she began receiving threats from NYSC officials, pressuring her to delete the post. She also alleged that her personal information had been leaked and that she was summoned to report to the NYSC office.

Reacting to the situation, Atiku Abubakar publicly praised Uguamaye’s courage and resilience, likening her to notable female activists such as Gambo Sawaba, Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, and Margaret Ekpo, who played significant roles in Nigeria’s political history. He emphasized that instead of facing hostility, Uguamaye deserved encouragement and support.

“Rather than being met with hostility, Raye deserves encouragement and support. She is a shining emblem of the Nigerian youth—a testament to the long-held promise that the leaders of tomorrow are already among us, ready to shape a better future,” Atiku stated.

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also weighed in on the matter, decrying the alleged harassment of Uguamaye. Obi stated that he too had faced threats for offering constructive criticism of government policies. He urged the Tinubu administration to embrace democratic values and accept dissenting views as a means to foster national progress.

“A government that silences its citizens is not democratic or accountable. Our nation’s future depends on our collective courage to speak out against misgovernance, injustice, and intimidation,” Obi stated.

While NYSC bye-laws prohibit corps members from being rude to constituted authorities, human rights advocates argue that voicing concerns over governance does not equate to rudeness or insubordination.

As of the time of this report, the NYSC has not issued any official statement addressing the allegations. Efforts to reach the agency’s acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls or messages.

TRADE UNION CONGRESS WADES IN

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has also waded into the trending issue.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said that the corps member spoke out of frustration, advising the government not to go after her but to be tolerant of critics.

But the TUC boss said, “They (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 personalise it and come after such individuals.

“Imagine a young lady carrying out her NYSC function, what does she really have to do to bring down the government? So, it is about personal frustration that she has aired.

“So, I think that the government has to persevere much more, they have to be more tolerant, and they have to have this deep level of patient with Nigerians because people are passing through a lot as it stands today.”

The TUC boss, however, advised critics to always criticise the government within the expected norm and with some level of decorum.

In a statement released earlier on Sunday, Amnesty International also condemned the alleged threats and intimidation being faced by Lagos-based corps members.

It said that the Federal Government must stop threatening individuals and groups who criticise the current administration.

Amnesty, Others

Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the alleged threats against Uguamaye, asserting that she had the right to express her views peacefully. The organization criticized authorities for allegedly attempting to silence dissenting opinions rather than addressing economic challenges.

“It is perfectly within her right to express discontent peacefully. Instead of threatening her for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should be prioritizing addressing the country’s economic woes,” Amnesty International stated in an official post on X.

Similarly, human rights lawyers Inibehe Effiong and Festus Ogun denounced the reported intimidation of Uguamaye. Effiong emphasized that corps members are not civil or public servants and that expressing political opinions does not violate the NYSC Act or Bye-Laws.

“Criticizing the President or the government is not an offence under the NYSC Act (see Section 13). It is also not an offence under the NYSC Bye-Laws (see Section 4 of the Revised Bye-Laws, 2011),” Effiong stated.

Ogun argued that any NYSC regulation restricting corps members from addressing the public should not override the constitutional right to free speech. He stressed that the NYSC should support its members rather than subject them to intimidation.