Lagos, Nigeria – The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reportedly extended the service year of Ms. Rita Ushie, an Instagram user known as “Raye,” by two months. This decision comes after Ms. Ushie gained significant attention in April for a video she posted online, in which she vocalized concerns about the economic hardship faced by Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Ms. Ushie’s initial video, which highlighted the difficulties of the current economic climate, led to her receiving calls from NYSC officials who allegedly threatened her to remove the post. This prompted an invitation for her to appear before a disciplinary committee, a move that drew widespread condemnation from human rights organizations and concerned Nigerians.
Notably, when Ms. Ushie, accompanied by prominent rights activist Omoyele Sowore and other Nigerians, presented herself to the Corps, NYSC staff reportedly failed to show up for the scheduled hearing, and the matter seemingly simmered for a period.
However, with only one month remaining in her service year, Ms. Ushie was again summoned last Wednesday, June 18th, to a disciplinary committee at the orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos State. According to Jonathan Ugbal, the South-South Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, who has been in communication with her family, the Scheme initially failed to hear her matter and instructed her to return this week.
“Upon her arrival at Iyana Ipaja last Wednesday without any formal letter, she was met by the Local Government Instructor who spoke to her and asked her to return this week despite the scarce resources she burned to get there,” Mr. Ugbal explained.
He further detailed that Ms. Ushie eventually faced the committee this week, where she reportedly apologized to staff who felt aggrieved by the public backlash they received.
“However, her mother called me moments ago to inform me that she called crying over the phone that her service year has been extended by two months,” Mr. Ugbal stated. “I have reached out to her, but she is not in a good frame of mind to speak.”
The NYSC has yet to release an official statement regarding the extension of Ms. Ushie’s service year.
