The Local Government Inspector (LGI) of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) office in Eti-Osa, Lagos, Mrs Veronica Abella was absent yesterday when Ushie Rita Uguamaye, a corps member, who used her TikTok handle to express frustration over the deteriorating economic conditions in Nigeria, honoured her invitation.
Uguamaye got a message from the NYSC Local Government Inspector (LGI), instructing her to report to the Eti Osa 3 local government office by 10:00a.m. on Monday without fail.
However, human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, alongside lawyers – Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi and Ojienoh Justice accompanied her to the LGI office in Eti-Osa, Lagos but Mrs Abella didn’t show up.
Speaking, Sowore said: “The journey with Uguamaye commenced in Lagos. She is scheduled to appear before the LGI today and we accompanied her to their office.
“We arrived at the Eti-Osa LGI office of the National Youth Service Corps with the Corps member. She was scheduled to appear before the LGI today and we escorted her to their offices with attorneys, Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi and Ojienoh Justice, but LGI officials failed to show up throughout our stay. We will be back.”
Uguamaye has been trending on social media platforms after a video she posted on her TikTok account on March 15, 2025 went viral. In the video, she decried Nigeria’s economic hardship and inflation, expressing frustration that hard work no longer translates into financial stability.
She criticised President Bola Tinubu, labelling him a “terrible president” and questioning what the government was doing to ease citizens’ suffering.
Shortly after the video gained attention, she said she began receiving threats, allegedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take down the post. She took to her Instagram page to express her disappointment at what she described as an attempt to stifle her voice, insisting that she had only spoken the truth about the country’s reality.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has defended the right of the young NYSC Corper to voice strong criticisms regarding Tinubu’s administration.
HURIWA affirmed that every citizen has the right to express their opinions and concerns about governmental performance without fear of intimidation or retribution.
The rights group said the provisions of fundamental human rights including freedom of expression encapsulated in chapter 4 of the Nigerian constitution is higher and far more superior than the NYSC bylaw.
According to the group, the extant NYSC bylaw does not negate the constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of citizens including youth corpers. HURIWA in a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko yesterday kicked against any attempt to harass, intimidate or threaten the corps member.
The group stated that the loyalty of corps members is to Nigeria and not to any specific holder of the office of the President of Nigeria. “In accordance with Section 39(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, it is stipulated that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.
“This fundamental right is the cornerstone of our democracy, allowing citizens to hold their leaders accountable and advocate for positive change,” it stated.
HURIWA urged the NYSC leadership to reconsider any measures taken against this brave individual and to encourage a culture of free speech among all corps members, stressing that it is crucial for our democracy that young voices, especially those of future leaders, are not stifled but rather nurtured and empowered to contribute to national discourse.
