By Idris Auwal
Amnesty International has condemned the alleged threats and intimidation by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) against a corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, who criticized Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over inflation and economic hardship.
In a post on X, Amnesty International stated that Uguamaye had the right to express her views peacefully and urged the government to focus on addressing the concerns she raised rather than pressuring her to delete her video.
“It is perfectly within her right to express discontent peacefully. Instead of threatening her for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should be prioritizing addressing the country’s economic woes,” Amnesty said.
Uguamaye, who is serving in Lagos, alleged that she received threats after her video criticizing Tinubu’s administration went viral.
In the video, shared on her TikTok account #talktoraye on Saturday, she expressed frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions, lamenting that hard work seems futile amid financial struggles.
She openly criticized Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader” and questioning the government’s efforts to alleviate citizens’ suffering.
Shortly after the video gained traction, Uguamaye claimed that NYSC officials began pressuring her to take it down.
“Dear Nigerians, they have my address. In case you guys don’t see me online, please you know who to hold accountable. I didn’t do anything wrong; I just asked that they work on the inflation.
“Why can’t I speak up? Being an NYSC corps member doesn’t mean I signed away my right to complain,” she said.
Amnesty International, in its statement, emphasized that millions of Nigerians are facing extreme poverty, aligning with Uguamaye’s concerns and urging the government to take urgent measures to address the crisis.
“Millions of people in Nigeria are facing extreme poverty. So far, the authorities have failed to put in place effective mitigation measures, leaving millions of people without the hope of getting out of the economic challenges and enjoying their human rights,” the group said.