March 16, (THEWILL) – A TikToker identified as Ushie Rita Uguamaye has alleged that officials of the National Youth Service Corps threatened her over a viral video in which she criticized President Bola Tinubu and the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
In the video, Uguamaye tearfully lamented the skyrocketing prices of essential goods, including food, transportation, rent, and electricity bills. She also accused the Tinubu-led administration of failing to address inflation, calling the president “a terrible leader.”
The controversy escalated when Uguamaye received a call from an NYSC official, who, in an audio recording she shared, berated her for her remarks and demanded that she take down the video.
The official reportedly yelled at her, asking, “Are you normal?” and warning of severe consequences if she continued speaking against the government.
Expressing frustration over the NYSC scheme, Uguamaye claimed that her monthly stipend was inadequate, as she spent more on transportation than she received from the government.
“I just came back from the supermarket, and everything has increased again. Every week, prices go up. What is the government doing? Is there a plan to stop inflation?” she asked in the viral clip.
“Being an NYSC corps member has not been beneficial. The money I spend on transport alone is more than my allowance. I can’t keep up. I’m overwhelmed, exhausted, and tired. We need to start calling out the government. Tinubu, you are such a terrible president. What are you doing about the economy?” she lamented.
By Saturday evening, Uguamaye raised concerns for her safety, alleging that NYSC officials had access to her home address and were already threatening her.
“Dear Nigerians, if anything happens to me, hold NYSC accountable. They have my address, and they are already threatening me less than 24 hours after my video went viral. I didn’t do anything wrong; I only demanded action against inflation.
“Why can’t I speak up? Being an NYSC corps member doesn’t mean I signed away my right to complain. Why can’t the government listen to its citizens instead of silencing them? They think they have a chain on me with NYSC and are using it to intimidate me. But I stand by my words,” she declared.
As of press time, NYSC officials have yet to respond to the allegations.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
