Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has denied claims that he called for the execution of Ushie Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps member who recently violated NYSC regulations.
In a statement titled ‘Statement on My Twisted Comment on the Corps Member’, Ajayi clarified that his remarks on Facebook were misrepresented, stressing that the maximum penalty under the scheme’s regulations is expulsion, not bodily harm.
“I suggested that flagrant and open abuse and disregard of NYSC by-laws and established protocol should attract the full NYSC disciplinary measures, particularly regarding a corps member’s recent display of imprudence,” Ajayi stated.
His clarification follows widespread backlash on social media, with many interpreting his comments as a call for capital punishment against the corps member.
The controversy arose after a Lagos-based corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, posted a viral TikTok video on Saturday criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration. She lamented Nigeria’s rising inflation and economic hardship, questioning the government’s efforts to address these challenges.
“I am coming from a supermarket where I went to get foodstuff, and everything has gone up again. It’s just like every single week, prices keep increasing.
“I want to know, what is the government doing about this increase? 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 don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you (Mr. Tinubu). But you (Mr. Tinubu) are such a terrible president,” she stated.
Ajayi, in response, initially called for the “highest punishment” under NYSC regulations for the corps member. However, his comments sparked outrage, with critics accusing him of demanding the death penalty.
Denying the allegations, he stated, “It has become imperative to dispel the misrepresentation and patent mischief that has trailed my comment on a Facebook post.
“I suggested that flagrant and open abuse and disregard of NYSC by-laws and established protocol should attract the full NYSC disciplinary measures… nothing beyond the established norms and laws is suggested or remotely implied.”
Ajayi reaffirmed his commitment to the integrity of the NYSC programme, emphasizing its role as a unifying national initiative. He urged Nigerians to uphold values such as discipline, dignity, and mutual respect.
In a separate Facebook post, he further clarified, “The mob get their oxygen from misrepresentations and deliberate mischief.
“I made comments under a post where I advertently wrote that what the lady corper did should attract capital punishment under NYSC which means her indiscretion should attract the highest punishment under the NYSC scheme.
“The highest punishment under NYSC is expulsion. There was a follow-up comment under the same thread where I provided the context in my usage of capital punishment under NYSC as a metaphor. The follow-up comment that explained the previous comment was ignored.
“It is common sense that there is no death penalty anywhere as punishment under NYSC law.”
