Sowore and Lawyers Support Corps Member Summoned for Criticizing Tinubu

Nigerian activist Omoyele Sowore, along with other activists and legal representatives, accompanied Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member Ushie Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, to her Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office on Monday after she was summoned over a viral video.

Raye recently attracted attention for criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in a TikTok video, where she expressed frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions, attributing the hardships to the president.

Following her post, Raye alleged that NYSC officials pressured her to delete the video and claimed she was being threatened. She was subsequently summoned for questioning at her LGI’s office, where Sowore and a team of lawyers accompanied her.

Upon arrival at the Eti-Osa LGI office in Lagos, Sowore reported that NYSC officials failed to appear. He stated, “We arrived at the Eti-Osa LGI offices of the @officialnyscng with youth corper Ushie Rita Uguamaye in Lagos. She was scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we escorted her with attorneys @mrfestusogun, @yinka_oyesomi, and @justiceojienoh, but the LGI official had absconded, failing to show up throughout our stay.”

A source at the local government office suggested that the inspector’s absence was due to the widespread media attention surrounding the case. Another source confirmed that the NYSC State Directorate had instructed officials not to comment on the issue while an administrative review was ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, refuted claims that he had called for capital punishment against Raye for her criticism of the president. In a statement from Abuja on Monday, Ajayi clarified that his comment on a Facebook post had been misrepresented, emphasizing that violators of NYSC rules should face disciplinary measures in line with NYSC protocol, with the maximum penalty being expulsion.

In response to the controversy, Nigerians have launched a 30-day social media campaign, expressing their dissatisfaction with the government. Many participants have criticized the administration’s failure to regulate the costs of essential commodities, including fuel, rent, and food prices.