Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday, staged a protest at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) headquarters in Abuja to demand the immediate release of the discharge certificate of corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, widely known as “Raye.”
Sowore arrived at the NYSC HQ alongside fellow activists, including human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who also serves as Raye’s legal counsel.
In a statement posted on his X handle a day earlier, Sowore announced the protest, vowing to secure justice for Raye and insisting that the alleged injustice against her would not stand.
“By 9 a.m. tomorrow, we will be at the Maitama Abuja HQ of the National Youth Service Corps @officialnyscng to receive the discharge certificate of Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye ‘Raye’, who has successfully concluded her compulsory service,” he wrote.
Raye had accused the NYSC of withholding her discharge certificate in retaliation for her criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
However, the NYSC dismissed these claims, stating that her certificate was withheld for disciplinary reasons — specifically, her failure to attend the mandatory April 2025 biometric clearance.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NYSC described the allegations as “entirely unfounded and false,” explaining that Raye’s service year was extended by two months in accordance with its bye-laws. The agency added that she is one of 131 corps members facing similar sanctions.
“It is important to note that this extension is a standard procedure, not unique to her case, and the principle of equal treatment was applied,” the statement read.
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