NYSC LG Inspector Absent After Summoning Corps Member Over Viral Anti-Tinubu Video

The Eti Osa Local Government Inspector (LGI) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Lagos State was absent on Monday after summoning corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye over her viral TikTok video that criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, accompanied by a team of lawyers, had arrived with Rita at the NYSC office in Eti-Osa LGA for the scheduled meeting. However, the LGI official, who had issued the summons, was nowhere to be found.

Rita was instructed to report to the NYSC office at 10 am on Monday following the controversy surrounding her TikTok video, where she criticized the rising cost of living and labeled President Tinubu a “terrible president.” Despite the scheduled meeting, the LGI failed to show up throughout Sowore and Rita’s stay at the office.

In an update shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Sowore said, “We arrived at the Eti-Osa LGI offices of the National Youth Service Corps with youth Corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, in Lagos. She was scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we escorted her to their offices with attorneys Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi, and Ojienoh Justice, but the LGI official had absconded, failing to show up throughout our stay. We will be back! #RevolutionNow #tinubuisaterriblepresident.”

Sowore had earlier announced on his X account that he was accompanying Rita to the NYSC office, saying, “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.”

Rita’s controversial video quickly gained attention after she posted it on TikTok under the handle @talktoraye. In the video, she tearfully criticized the high cost of goods in Nigeria and labeled Tinubu a “terrible president.” She also highlighted the financial struggles faced by corps members, particularly the insufficiency of their NYSC allowances to cover basic expenses.

In the video, Rita said, “So, 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 the government is doing about this increase. Is there going to be a particular time when prices will stop going up?”

She further expressed frustration over the rising cost of basic items, saying, “Why am I going to get a crate of eggs, and I’m told it costs N6,500? It doesn’t make any sense that eggs would cost that much. I literally remember when eggs cost N800. I am so overwhelmed because this is the first time I’ve stayed out of my family house.”

Rita also criticized the high cost of transportation and utilities, saying, “The money I spend on transportation is much more than the allowance the federal government pays us. We should start calling out the government. For example, Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to help our economy?”

The video quickly went viral, sparking a wave of both support and criticism. Less than 24 hours after the video went live, Rita shared another video on Instagram, claiming she had received a call from NYSC officials pressuring her to delete the post. She later posted another video revealing the details of the conversation, expressing concerns for her safety, as NYSC officials appeared to have access to her personal information.

“These people know my address and where I live, and now they’ve begun threatening me. It is so bad that you can’t even just speak up about the government because they feel like they have chains to hold you,” Rita said.

She also clarified her position regarding the president: “She was telling me that I was insulting the president. I never insulted the president; I said he was terrible. That is not an insult. It is a statement.” Rita further stated she was asked to report to the NYSC office by 10:00 am on Monday.

The incident has sparked widespread debate across Nigeria, with many questioning whether corps members should be restricted from expressing their opinions on national governance and political issues.