Management of National Youth Service Corps under the leadership of Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu has given reasons why a serving Nigeria Youth corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye was denied NYSC discharge certificate that could have enabled her exit the one year mandatory programme after she completed the one year paramilitary service to her nation as a new graduate, and, according to a statement posted and made available by NYSC on Sunday, with no name of the authority responsible for the press statement written or mentioned in the statement, the NYSC said Corps Member Rita Uguamaye’s discharge certificate was withheld and her service year extended by two months following her alleged absence or failure to attend the April 2025 NYSC Biometrics Clearance at Etiosa local government area secretariat, and the month stated by NYSC was barely few days after the corps member had cried out loud in the month of March 2025 over the apparent increasing high rates of hunger as a result of rising costs of living in Nigeria, and as such, she described the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a terrible president, in a swift reaction to the reason given by NYSC, Rita Uguamaye’s Lawyer, Barrister Inibehe Efiong while answering questions from Channels Television programme presenters on Monday morning, said, the statement issued by the Management of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC on its decision to extend the service period, and withhold the Certificate of National Service of Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye alias Raye does not represent the truth of the matter, saying, on April 7, 2025, Rita was physically present at the local government secretariat for the head count and clearance but the NYSC official at the local government level deliberately refused to attend to her, even after six hours waiting, during which, she was asked to go back and queued up on the line repeatedly, the NYSC official still refused to attend to her, and thereafter, on April 11, 2025, the Corps member went to meet the NYSC official and begged her to allow her perform her April 2025 Biometrics Clearance, the NYSC female official refused and asked the corps member to leave, this, Amnesty International said the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC must rescind its decision the Amnesty International described as arbitrary and outrageous, saying, NYSC allegedly used bureaucratic tricks to extend the corps member national service year over the government’s unacceptable intolerance of dissenting voices, with former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku Abubakar describing the NYSC action as impunity, and as such cautioned the government against subjecting everything to politics, and on Monday morning, the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi issued a statement and said; “in our country today, hunger and poverty are not just distant statistics, they are the harsh reality that millions of our people face daily, recently, the United Nations stated that about 34 million Nigerians will face acute food insecurity, and about 63% of our population, which is about 133 million people, now live in multidimensional poverty, inflation even with the suppressed statistics is nearly 30%, while unemployment and economic mismanagement have nearly wiped out our once vibrant middle class, families who once lived stable lives are now slipping into poverty”.
Omoyele Sowore, the founder of SaharaReporters news media said he was ready to stand beside the corps member and escort her to collect her NYSC discharge certificate last week, but, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prevented him by thus unlawfully detaining him at the police station.
In quotes, Sowore said; “It is with deep sadness and renewed outrage that I address the ongoing injustice against Rita Uguamaye “Raye.” Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has seized her discharge Certificate because she criticised the Tinubu regime over economic hardships.
I was fully prepared to stand beside her to help her receive her NYSC discharge certificate. However, the criminal Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime unlawfully detained me in Abuja this past week; this regime thrives on intimidation, repression, and silencing the youth.
We had promised to fight for her justice, and that promise remains unbroken. We will not stop until we achieve victory not just for Raye, but for every Nigerian denied their rights by an oppressive system.
We must not forget that Raye’s courage and uncompromising stance compelled the authorities to increase the monthly allowance for her colleagues to ₦77,000. This significant improvement was won through her sacrifice, and it is an injustice of the highest order that she continues to be denied what is rightfully hers upon completion of her service year. We will not abandon her. Her fight is our fight. The struggle continues until we win.
We reject the NYSC’s spurious position in its entirety. Youth Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye “Raye”’s case could not and should not be dismissed as a mere “biometric clearance” issue.
This was not about paperwork. This was punishment in retaliation for her public criticism of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s disastrous economic policies. Silencing dissent is not service to the nation. It is a service to tyranny. We stand with Raye; we will continue to fight against NYSC until the injustice is corrected. RevolutionNow”.
Nysc in the press release had said that; “the NYSC Management wishes to clarify a misleading information circulating on social media regarding Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, State Code number LA/24B/8325.
Contrary to false claims that she was denied a Certificate of National Service (CNS) due to critical remarks about the government, this assertion is entirely unfounded and false in its entirety.
Rita is among the 131 Corps Members whose Certificates of National Service (CNS), were withheld for valid disciplinary reasons. Specifically, Rita’s service year has been extended by two months for failing to attend the April 2025 biometrics clearance, a decision that aligns with the NYSC Bye-Laws.
It is important to note that this extension is a standard procedure and not unique to her case, and the principle of equal treatment was only applied in this case.
The NYSC Management thus urges the public to approach this matter with understanding, as extending service for non-compliance is a longstanding tradition within the NYSC and should not be politicized.
The NYSC Scheme remains committed to discharging its mandate, inline with the dictates of the constitution. Nigeria is Ours; Nigeria We Serve”.
Former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said: “What manner of impunity is this? Everything should not be subjected to politics. I hope that Ushie Rita Uguamaye’s NYSC discharge certificate is not being withheld because she had the courage to complain about the economic hardship under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
It is unacceptable that the young lady, who had served her country without queries, should not have received her National Youth Service Corps certificate one year after passing out. The appropriate authorities should take urgent steps to ensure that she gets her discharge certificate”.
Amnesty International in a press release said: “The National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) must rescind its arbitrary and outrageous decision to deny Rita Ushie, widely known as Raye, her NYSC discharge certificate upon completion of a year of national service. Using bureaucratic tricks to extend her national service shows unacceptable intolerance of dissenting voices.
The flagrant decision to withhold her certificate may not be unconnected with her comments on social media, on the wide spread economic hardship as a result of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
It is perfectly within her right to express discontent peacefully. Instead of punishing her by withholding her NYSC certificate for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should prioritise addressing the country’s escalating economic woes.
The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with abuse of power and intimidation to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions — in utter disregard for the Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing dissenting views is not a crime.
In March, Rita Ushei faced threat to life and violence for her viral TikTok video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s government over unprecedented economic hardship that plunged millions of people into abject poverty.
Since May 2023, series of economic policies introduced by Nigerian government have been undermining the ability of people on low incomes to secure their right to adequate standard of living. Millions of people in Nigeria are increasingly unable to meet the costs of education, food and healthcare.
No one should be punished for expressing dissenting opinions. Authorities have obligation to uphold and respect the right to freedom of expression — without discrimination”.
Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi in a detailed statement on Monday, said: “In our country today, hunger and poverty are not just distant statistics, they are the harsh reality that millions of our people face daily.
Recently, the United Nations stated that about 34 million Nigerians will face acute food insecurity, and about 63% of our population, which is about 133 million people, now live in multidimensional poverty.
Inflation even with the suppressed statistics is nearly 30%, while unemployment and economic mismanagement have nearly wiped out our once vibrant middle class. Families who once lived stable lives are now slipping into poverty.
But this is not just ordinary, it is as a result of incompetent leadership without capacity and compassion, who are not interested in putting the Nigerian people first in their actions.
Other nations have faced similar challenges and turned their fortunes around through disciplined leadership, sound economic policies, and a total commitment from the leaders to invest in human development and pulling their people out of poverty.
A recent example is what is happening in Argentina. In Argentina, over 52% of its population lived in poverty by early 2024 according to the World Bank, with millions of Argentines unable to meet basic needs. Inflation was above 200%, and economic confidence had collapsed.
Yet, within two years, through decisive action to cut waste in governance and prioritize economic stability, the newly inaugurated president was able to cut down the poverty rate to 38.1% from 52% in just 2 years and extreme poverty fell to 8.2%, with inflation just around 2 to 3% monthly.
As at 2025, the urban poverty had declined to 31.6%, lifting millions of people out of poverty. Investor confidence grew and the economy began to grow. The people now see real improvements in their daily lives.
Both Argentina and the current Nigerian leadership assumed office in the same year, and this proves what I have always stated, that two years may not be enough to change a nation with a 100% turn around but it is more than enough to kickstart the transformation journey that will change the fortune of our dear country, with the people witnessing real and genuine change, but only if the leadership is honest, focused, and committed to the people.
Nigeria can work. We can reduce hunger, and restore dignity to Nigerians. But this will not happen while corruption and criminality dominate our governance.
Our nation requires leaders who will put the people first, manage resources prudently, and stand firm in rejecting corrupt practices. Nigeria will work, but only if we, as leaders, commit to tackling corruption, cutting the cost of governance, and focusing on critical areas of development like education, healthcare, and lifting the people out of poverty, just as other nations have done with remarkable results. A New Nigeria is Possible”.
We had reported that after the Nigeria-Biafra Civil war, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC was established on May 22, 1973 to give the youths the opportunity to leave their parents and stay alone to contribute to the betterment of the West Africa country – Nigeria, interestingly, a few days ago, one of the serving Corpers, Ushie Rita Uguamaye went to the market in Lagos state to buy foodstuffs but she was shocked that the prices of foodstuffs in the month of March have again increased far more than they were previous months, apparently faced with the heat of passion, Uguamaye took to social media to call on the youths to unite and defend the country from total economy collapse, saying, it was her first time to leave her parents and start paying domestic bills alone, adding that, the money she spends on transport is more than the monthly salary NYSC is paying her, begging the youths to stage a 30 days non stop challenge protest to make the country President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu she described as a terrible person to be alive to his political and institutional responsibilities of making cost of living reasonably okay for people to afford, stressing that, some Nigerians are pretending to still be rich whereas the bad economy has pushed them into poverty, this, Reno Omokri, former presidential spokesperson who have been living abroad since 2014, reacted and said that, there is no country in the world where a paramilitary official like the Corper is permitted to criticize the government.