•Inibehe Effiong Esq
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has threatened to sue the National Youth Service Corps over what he described as the “persecution” of Lagos-based Corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye.
Raye drew public attention in March after criticising the present administration, accusing it of worsening Nigeria’s economic hardship.
However, in a viral video last week, Raye claimed that the scheme withheld her Discharge Certificate in alleged retaliation for her criticism of the economic policies of the Bola Tinubu administration.
Reacting in a statement on X yesterday, the NYSC said the corps member’s service year was extended by two months for allegedly failing to attend the April 2025 biometric clearance, as stipulated in the NYSC bye-laws.
The scheme insisted the sanction was unrelated to her political views.
However, speaking on Channels Television today , Effiong countered the claim, alleging that Raye was deliberately denied clearance by NYSC officials in Eti-Osa Local Government Area despite being present in April.
He said, “I am going to write to the Director-General of the NYSC in the coming hours to put these facts officially before them.
“If they don’t give us a favourable answer, by virtue of Section 20 of the NYSC Act, I’ll write to the President and Commander-in-Chief. The law says if we are not satisfied, we should write to the president before legal action.”
He added that the NYSC had yet to formally communicate its reasons for the extension to Raye, accusing the scheme of acting in bad faith.
“We want to give them an opportunity to redeem themselves, and the DG has an obligation to ensure that the image of the scheme is not tarnished. Why should they have waited until she was about to pass out before giving her this reason? It is an embarrassment and an aberration,” he said.
Effiong alleged that Raye’s case was an attempt to silence dissenting voices in Nigeria.
“What they are trying to achieve through Raye is to quell the voice of dissent in our country. Let Nigeria not be deceived; this has nothing to do with monthly clearance,” he said.
He stated that Raye’s ordeal came shortly after she lamented the soaring cost of goods and her inability to afford basic necessities.
