Human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore and Inibehe Effiong have petitioned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over what they described as unlawfu
Human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore and Inibehe Effiong have petitioned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over what they described as unlawful extension of the service year of Ushie Rita Uguamaye, a corps member with state code number LA/24B/8325.
The activists who submitted a formal petition to the NYSC Director-General in Abuja on Tuesday, demanded the immediate reversal of the two-month service extension and issuance of Uguamaye’s discharge certificate.
According to the petition signed by Effiong, the extension was imposed after a Local Government Inspector (LGI) in Lagos State allegedly refused to process Uguamaye’s biometric clearance in April 2025, despite presenting herself on the scheduled date.
The lawyers claimed that the action was a retaliatory move linked to the corps member’s criticism of policies under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
The petition alleged that the LGI, Veronica Abela, deliberately delayed Uguamaye for six hours before refusing to screen her and seizing her file, while days later, the corps member was queried for missing the clearance, and her initial written explanation was allegedly “misplaced” by the LGI before she was asked to rewrite it, this time, omitting the fact that she attended on the correct date.
“This is a clear case of abuse of office, denial of fair hearing, and violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression,” the petition stated.
The petitioners warned that if the NYSC fails to act, they will escalate the matter to the Presidency and, if necessary, seek legal redress to enforce Uguamaye’s rights and claim damages.
The petition was also copied to the National Human Rights Commission and the Nigerian Bar Association.
Earlier, Uguamaye slammed the management of NYSC, saying her life remains great without the scheme’s certificate.
Ushie, while speaking on a live TikTok session with friends on her official page, accused the NYSC of trying to prove they were unshakeable while, according to her, it was their officials who broke the rules.
“I did not have that certificate before, yet my life is great. NYSC insists they are not giving me the certificate. NYSC is trying to prove they are unshakeable, whereas their own people are the ones breaking the rules. I am no longer interested in the certificate,” she said
She, however, declined to respond when further asked if she would serve the two-month extension, stating that she was not ready to answer.
Meanwhile, the NYSC has debunked reports circulating on social media alleging she was denied her Certificate of National Service CNS over critical comments about the government.
The scheme, in a statement, described the claims as entirely unfounded and false in their entirety, stressing that the decision to withhold her certificate was for valid disciplinary reasons and not politically motivated.
The NYSC said Ushie was among 131 corps members whose certificates were withheld for various infractions.
In her case, management said her service year was extended by two months for failing to attend the April 2025 biometric clearance exercise, a sanction it said was in line with the NYSC bye-laws.
Uguamaye had in March 2025, expressed frustration over the high cost of goods in the market, describing Tinubu’s government as terrible for paying little attention to the hike in commodity prices.
In the video, she said: “If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government. I just want to say to our president, I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.”
