A serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, in Lagos, has raised concerns over alleged threats following her viral video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s government over inflation and economic hardship.
In a video shared on her TikTok account @talktoraye on Saturday, Uguamaye expressed frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions, lamenting that hard work seems futile amid financial struggles.
She openly criticised Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader,” and questioned the government’s efforts to alleviate citizens’ suffering.
Additionally, she described Lagos State as a “smelling state,” complaining about its odour and poor living conditions.
Shortly after her video gained traction, Uguamaye alleged that she began receiving threats, reportedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take down the content.
Frustrated by the backlash, she took to Instagram #iamraye__ to express her disappointment at what she described as attempts to silence her, insisting that she only spoke the truth about Nigeria’s realities.
She wrote, “Dear Nigerians, I am already getting threatened by the NYSC board to stop speaking on this issue. Less than 24 hours, I’m already getting threatened by the government starting with the NYSC board!.
“Dear Nigerians, they have my address. In case you guys don’t see me online, please you know who to hold accountable. I didn’t do anything wrong I just asked that they work on the inflation.
“Why can’t I speak up? Being an NYSC corper doesn’t mean I signed up my right to complain.
“Why can’t the government listen to the critics of its citizens? They believe they have a chain on me, which is NYSC, and they are using it to hold me. @officialasiwajubat I didn’t do anything wrong. I criticised your government and I demand that we are being heard.”
She added, “Deleting this content is of no use: because they already know me. However, deleting it means whatever they do to me, nobody would know. If they decide to give me a hefty punishment, nobody would know because I used my own hands to cover it by deleting what I started.
“She’s asking people to Identify me? I’m not a criminal. Reading the NYSC rules, I didn’t commit any crime. Ask the NYSC lady to stop asking people to point me out, ATP she’s acting scary.
“All I did was lament, all I did was complain. I’m getting tons of messages like this from my fellow corpers. What is wrong with just one person complaining? Why are they looking for me like I’m a criminal? I’m not dumb.
“I made sure to not accuse the government of anything maliciously! I questioned them. I asked questions. As an NYSC Corper, I didn’t sign off my freedom of speech.
“Leave me alone bruh. they keep calling me and I’ve switched of my phones now they are texting me my personal details on WhatsApp to inform me they know me well.
“Dear NYSC if you say a corper has faulted, you wouldn’t treat them like this and scare them! You are scaring me for my dear life. Please, leave me alone. You told me to report to the office on Monday. Okay! What else? Why are you looking for me? I just exercised my right to using the ‘Freedom of Speech’.
This is the right of every citizen. Except they tell me being an NYSC Corper removes me from being a citizen.”
Her allegations have sparked widespread debate on social media, with many Nigerians questioning whether the NYSC is suppressing free speech among corps member.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
