A serving corps member, Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over what she described as the “unlawful and politically motivated” extension of her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year.

In a petition filed through her lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Esq., Raye accused the NYSC of victimisation and abuse of power, claiming that she was deliberately targeted after publicly criticising some policies of the Tinubu administration.

The petition, titled “Appeal Against the Unlawful Extension of the Service Year of Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye with State Code Number LA/24B/8325,” was addressed to the President and copied to the NYSC Director-General, the National Human Rights Commission, and other stakeholders.

According to Raye, she was wrongly accused of failing to attend her April 2025 biometric clearance. She insisted she was present on April 7, 2025, but alleged that her Local Government Inspector, Veronica Abela, deliberately refused to screen her as punishment for exercising her right to free speech.

She further alleged that the Lagos State NYSC Coordinator had previously threatened her with a service year extension after she criticised government policies, and that threat had now been carried out.

Despite submitting a detailed petition to the NYSC DG on August 11, 2025, Raye said no action had been taken to reverse what she described as a “manifestly unjust decision.”

Effiong, her lawyer, argued that the case violates her constitutional rights to freedom of expression and fair hearing. He warned that allowing such politically motivated victimisation to stand would set a “dangerous precedent for democracy.”

He called on President Tinubu to intervene urgently, stressing that failure to act could amount to tacit approval of abuse of power within the NYSC. He also hinted that Raye may head to court if the decision is not overturned.