Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar weighed in on the alleged withholding of a National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate from Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly called Raye, a corps member who openly denounced the country’s economic problems.
Atiku, who called the scenario as “unacceptable” and possibly politically motivated, said it was immoral to punish a citizen for expressing her right to free speech.
He encouraged authorities to act quickly to remedy the situation, stressing that such occurrences erode public trust in national institutions.
Atiku, in a statement on X, wrote, “What manner of impunity is this? Everything should not be subjected to politics.
“I hope that Ushie Rita Uguamaye’s NYSC discharge certificate is not being withheld because she had the courage to complain about the economic hardship under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
“It is unacceptable that the young lady, who had served her country without queries, should not have received her National Youth Service Corps certificate one year after passing out.
“The appropriate authorities should take urgent steps to ensure that she gets her discharge certificate.”
Raye had completed her one-year mandatory service in Lagos State.
She rose to prominence months ago after a viral video in which she decried growing living costs and the economic hardships that Nigerians face.
On Saturday, she turned to Instagram to explain that she was denied her NYSC certificate when she went to get it with her coworkers.
She stated that officials claimed she did not complete her April clearance on time, which she firmly rejected.
According to Raye, she presented herself for clearance but was repeatedly ordered to wait by her local government inspector.
Raye claimed that the LGI later refused to clear her, seizing her file and asking her to leave the office.
Raye said in the vlog, “I did not get my NYSC certificate today after one year of serving this country.
“I literally went there with my cohort, or should I say the people we served together, and when it got to my turn, they said, ‘No certificate for you.’”
Raye rejected the NYSC’s explanation, claiming she showed up for clearance but was purposely denied by her Local Government Inspector, who allegedly took her file.
She revealed in an accompanying caption that, “After one year of moving to another man’s land to serve my country, it ended with no certificate and them telling me to come for the final verdict that we already know how it’ll end.
“I genuinely wish I wasn’t a Lagos State Corper because it’s a waste of my time. I can’t say moving here was bad, but serving here isn’t all pleasure.
“Just to add to it, they said the reason I’m not getting my certificate is because I didn’t clear myself for the month of April on my scheduled date.
“But what they aren’t saying is how I was present to get cleared, yet the LGI kept asking me to go to the back, and when she finally wanted to attend to me, she said she wouldn’t clear me.
“She seized my file and told me to get out. This is a long story, and I don’t mind waking up at midnight to tell the story.
“The deep-rooted anger and hatred I feel is crazy because I don’t know who to direct it to.
“But I wish myself the best. And I’m closing this chapter.”
Nigerian graduates who successfully complete the one-year national service receive an NYSC discharge certificate.
As of the time of posting this report, the NYSC board has not responded to the accusations.
