A storm is brewing within the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as Lagos-based corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, has formally petitioned the NYSC Director-General over what she calls the “unlawful and politically motivated” extension of her service year by two months — allegedly as punishment for criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The petition, signed by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, accuses the NYSC of gross victimisation, abuse of power, and acting as a tool for political retribution.
According to Uguamaye, her ordeal began in April 2025 when she attempted to complete her mandatory monthly biometric clearance. Speaking during an X Space hosted by activist Omoyele Sowore, she alleged that her Local Government Inspector (LGI), Veronica Abela, deliberately denied her the clearance despite her being physically present on April 7, 2025.
“I waited for six hours at the venue. The LGI refused to screen me and seized my file,” Uguamaye recounted. “When I returned on April 11 to plead my case, I was told the exercise had ended.”
Days later, she was queried for allegedly missing the clearance and was instructed to submit a written explanation. She claims her original statement — which stated she was present on April 7 — was “mysteriously misplaced” by the LGI, who allegedly pressured her to rewrite it without that key fact, supposedly to “help her case.”
The NYSC, however, maintains that Uguamaye’s discharge certificate was withheld purely on disciplinary grounds, not because of her political views. In a statement issued Sunday, the corps insisted she was among 131 corps members sanctioned for failing to attend April’s biometric clearance, stressing that the decision was in line with its Bye-Laws.
Effiong, however, calls the NYSC’s explanation “false, malicious, and a clear act of targeted victimisation.” The petition alleges that the Lagos State Coordinator of the NYSC had even threatened Uguamaye with a service extension after she publicly criticised government policies.
Quoting Sections 39 (freedom of expression) and 36 (right to fair hearing) of the 1999 Constitution, the petition warns that allowing politically motivated punishment within the NYSC sets a “dangerous precedent” for silencing dissent among corps members.
The demands are clear: immediate reversal of the two-month extension, prompt issuance of her discharge certificate, and an end to political intimidation in the scheme.
Failing that, the petition vows escalation to the Presidency and potential legal action to enforce her rights, seek damages, and hold all culpable NYSC officials personally accountable.
“The NYSC is a statutory, non-partisan institution. It must not be reduced to an instrument of political persecution,” Effiong stated.
This case, now gaining national attention, raises critical questions about whether Nigeria’s revered youth service programme is being weaponised to muzzle dissent — and whether corps members can truly speak their minds without fear of retribution.
PIONEER NEWS 