Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and lawyer Festus Ogun have expressed their support for Rita Uguamaye, also known as Raye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member facing scrutiny over a viral video in which she criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Sowore shared a photo on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, revealing that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and would accompany her to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office alongside a legal team.
“The journey with youth corper Ushie Rita Uguamaye has commenced in Lagos. She is scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we will escort her to their offices. We are all en route with attorneys,” Sowore stated.
Uguamaye gained attention after posting a TikTok video expressing frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions while openly criticizing the president’s leadership. Following the video, she reported receiving threats, sparking a larger debate on free speech and political dissent in the country.
She later shared a screenshot of an official NYSC invitation, instructing her to appear before the LGI office at Eti-Osa 3 on Monday at 10:00 a.m.
However, lawyer Festus Ogun, one of those representing Uguamaye, noted in a Facebook post that when they arrived at the NYSC office, the LGI who issued the summons was absent.
“Standing in solidarity with youth corper Ushie Rita Uguamaye at the Eti-Osa Lagos NYSC office. The LGI, who asked her to show up today, obviously absconded, as she was nowhere to be found. We owe her the duty to provide legal, moral, and revolutionary support,” Ogun wrote.
He also noted that Raye, a Batch B 2024 corps member, has just two months left to complete her NYSC service.
