Human Rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, led a protest on Tuesday against the withholding of discharge certificate of Ushie Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, a serving corps member in Lagos State.
The protest, which started by 9 a.m. at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Headquarters, Wuse District, Abuja, didn’t commence until about 30 minutes later when Messrs Sowore and Effiong arrived.
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Although the turnout for the protest was low, PREMIUM TIMES noticed a heavy security presence at the protest venue with over 40 heavily armed police officers stationed at every strategic location around the building.
Also, there were six different police vans and a Black Maria stationed around the building.
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When Messrs Inibehe and Sowore arrived at the venue, they immediately went into the commission’s building to submit a petition to the Director General of the NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, a brigadier general.
The two activists, alongside a few others, later converged outside the commission’s headquarters at about 9.50 p.m. to address journalists on their mission.
Mr Inibehe explained that they went into the commission’s premises to submit a petition demanding the release of the corps member’s certificate and the reversal of the two-month additional service placed on her by the commission.
“We have submitted a formal petition to the Director General of the NYSC today at the NYSC Headquarters in Abuja, demanding the reversal of the extension of
service period of Ms. Rita Uguamaye alias Raye by two months, and that her Certificate of National Service be issued to her immediately,” he said.
He also said that the protest was aimed at ending corrupt and illegal practices by the authorities.
“As at the time it (certificate) was issued to me I knew, I would not need it to apply for anything. If I run for president today, our courts have said you don’t need NYSC certificate. You have politicians who are holding very high positions that have not served in the NYSC. You are in Supreme Court, I’ve made it clear.
“The people like Raye, who left Cross River State, where she is from, came to Lagos, sacrificed herself at that time to serve Nigeria for one year, the reward she is getting is this very vicious, wicked, dastardly, malicious, and illegal action that has been meted out. So we condemn this in the strongest possible terms.
“We enjoin Nigerians to join us in duplicating what has happened because who is going to be next? They will target other people and that is why, for us, it is always about the principle that we have to oppose this so that they don’t continue to repeat it,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Sowore said that the corps member was being victimised because she refused to take back her words against the first citizen of the country.
“And also to remind you that to save Victoria is a journey caravan, setting her on record. You have to remember the old message that was sent to her, asking her to take down her criticism of the president. That is where all this started from.
“The victimisation started from her refusal to back down after criticising the economic policy, the terrible economic policies of the Tunubu regime. And she did call the president terrible.
“And we are sad that today the president is still terrible. And he is running a terrible economic system that brought on total harshness upon the people of Nigeria.” Mr Sowore said
While providing further clarification, Mr Inibehe also explained that Raye went for biometrics but was denied, and even after appearing at a panel to defend her presence in April, she was manipulated.
“One quick point before I forget, because I know they may issue another claim. When Raye was issued a query, she replied to the query. On the day the panel sat, I think on the 27th of June, that is the Corps disciplinary committee.
“You know what happened? The same Veronica, I think, told her she can no longer find her reply. He issued her a plain sheet and asked her to write a fresh reply because this lady was smart. In her reply, she stated that she presented herself on the 7th of April, the day before the plenary. That was contained in her reply. The woman told her she had misplaced it.
“But she was asking her to rewrite her reply to the query before facing the committee. She told her to omit that part and that it was the only way they would help her. At that time, Raye had already resolved not to bother about this whole issue again.
“She thought that was the truth, that was the way to placate them, She later obeyed, not knowing she was being manipulated. When she now went before the committee, she realised that the local government inspector was not honest with her. She then opened up to the committee on what transpired. But despite opening up to them, this is where we are.”
“So I want Nigerians to get that point clear. So that if they come out tomorrow and say, oh, this is the reply that she wrote to, and she admitted she did not show up on the 7th, the circumstances of that letter should be understood that this was what transpired.”
“Why would a corps member who has been in the news all over the country, who has come under constant threat, decide to stay away from barometrics, to give oppressors an excuse to justify their actions? It doesn’t make sense. She went for clearance in April of that month. Why would she stay back?” he said.
The protesters dispersed immediately after they addressed journalists at about 10:15 a.m.
Background
In March, Raye posted a video of her lamenting the harsh economic situation in the country.
In the post, she described President Bola Tinubu as a “terrible leader” and questioned his commitment to easing Nigerians’ hardship. She also complained about the cost of basic items like eggs and others.
In the viral TikTok clip, she also complained about high utility bills, transportation costs, and poor sanitation in Lagos, stressing that her allowance as a corps member, which was N33,000 at the time, could not buy the items mentioned.
The post, which went viral, according to her, attracted backlash from the authorities, who condemned her action and demanded she take it down.
Following the corps member’s cry, Mr Sowore and a few other lawyers accompanied her to her Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office, but the LGI was not in her office.
However, in a post last Saturday on Instagram, Raye alleged that NYSC officials had denied her clearance for April’s biometric exercise, seized her file, and eventually withheld her certificate.
This consequently gained reactions from the public.
READ ALSO: Sowore’s lawyers insist police broke his arm in custody
NYSC replies
In its defence, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Sunday also claimed that the action was not taken in retaliation for her criticism of President Tinubu, but because she missed her April Clearance.
It also said it extended her service year by two months as a disciplinary action.
“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,” the statement said.
“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 said.
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