Rights groups and political figures have condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for allegedly withholding the discharge certificate of Rita Uguamaye, a corps member who publicly criticised President Bola Tinubu.
Uguamaye, known as Raye, served in Lagos and went viral in March after posting a video on TikTok about economic hardship, inflation, and the delayed payment of corps members’ new allowance. She also described Lagos as a “smelling state.”
On Saturday, she claimed NYSC refused to release her certificate, citing an incomplete April clearance, which she denied. The agency insisted her certificate was withheld for missing the April biometrics, not for her criticism, and that her service year was extended by two months in line with its by-laws.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana said the action violated her constitutional right to free speech. Amnesty International called it “unacceptable intolerance of dissent,” while activist Omoyele Sowore pledged to fight for her, praising her role in securing the allowance increase for corps members.
