A combination of President Bola Tinubu and Amnesty International logo

Amnesty International stated on Sunday that the Federal Government must cease threatening individuals and groups who criticize the current administration.

“The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with violence and intimidation towards those who express dissenting opinions—completely disregarding the Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing differing views is not a crime,” the organization said in a statement on its X account.

Amnesty International also condemned the alleged threats and intimidation faced by Ushie Uguamaye, a Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps member. This follows her viral TikTok video in which she criticized President Bola Tinubu’s government for the hardships Nigerians are experiencing due to economic reforms.

The human rights watchdog has denounced the reported threats from NYSC officials, emphasizing that Uguamaye was well within her rights to express her frustration over the country’s worsening economic conditions. “Amnesty International strongly condemns the threats and intimidation directed at a lady who posted a TikTok video lamenting the current escalating economic hardship. The lady alleged that NYSC officials threatened her for refusing to delete the video,” the statement read.

“It is entirely within her right to express her discontent peacefully. Instead of threatening her for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should prioritize addressing the country’s economic issues. “Millions of people in Nigeria are facing extreme poverty, and so far, the authorities have failed to implement effective mitigation measures, leaving millions without hope for overcoming the economic challenges and enjoying their human rights.”

Uguamaye reported that shortly after her video went viral, she began receiving threats, allegedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to delete the content. She expressed fears for her safety, stating that her personal details had been leaked and that she was being coerced to report to the NYSC office.