Following her criticism of the policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians which went viral, the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has extended the service year of Ms. Rita Ushie by two months.
Raye, who had a month remaining in her mandatory service, drew national attention in March 2025, after posting a video in which she described the rising cost of living and the struggles of surviving on the NYSC allowance as difficult.
In the same video, Ushie described the Tinubu administration as “terrible” and questioned what the government was doing to address the worsening economic crisis.
However, following the video, Ushie later alleged that she received threatening calls from NYSC officials, warning her to delete the content and stop criticising the government.
The incident expectedly, sparked outrage from civil rights groups and concerned Nigerians, who accused the NYSC of attempting to suppress her freedom of expression.
Ushie was later summoned to the Eti-Osa Local Government office, but on arrival with human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore and legal representatives, the official who issued the summons refused to appear.
Surprisingly, the matter which was believed to have been rested, resurfaced on Wednesday, June 18, when Ushie was again summoned to the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos—to appear before a disciplinary panel.
According to Jonathan Ugbal, South-South Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, the process was riddled with delays and a lack of formal communication.
Ugbal said; “Upon her arrival last Wednesday, without any official letter, she was told to return later. She eventually met with the officials, apologized for any perceived harm, but was later informed that her service year would be extended by two months.
“Her mother called me crying, saying Rita Ushie was in tears and emotionally distressed.”
The original video that triggered the controversy was posted on TikTok via her handle @talktoraye, she spoke candidly about inflation, unaffordable food prices, and the general cost of living as a corps member in Lagos.
She said; “Why am I buying a crate of eggs for ₦6,500? I remember when it was ₦800. NEPA and security bills have doubled, transportation is outrageous, and even basic outings are unaffordable. Uber is ₦25,000!
“Lagos smells. The whole city stinks. What is the government doing about it? There’s nothing really beneficial about this NYSC scheme. The money we spend on transportation alone is more than what we earn,” she stressed.
Rita Ushie popularly known as Raye on TikTok, insisted that her intention was not political, but a cry for help, saying; “If more Nigerians come out and speak up, maybe the government will be forced to change some things”.
Ushie further said; “Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to fix this economy?”
But, less than 24 hours after posting the video, Ushie shared another clip showing her receiving multiple phone calls from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take the video down and stop speaking out.
The NYSC is yet to officially comment on the latest development.
