Plans for mass protests in Abuja and Lagos are gaining momentum as outrage mounts over the National Youth Service Corps’ (NYSC) decision to withhold the discharge certificate of Lagos-based corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Rita Raye.
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore announced the planned demonstrations during an X Space discussion tagged #TalkWithSowore: Unpacking The Recent Events. He revealed that a meeting in Abuja ended with calls to storm NYSC secretariats this week if the issue remains unresolved.
“People are already telling us to go and storm the NYSC secretariat tomorrow (Monday),” Sowore said. “We will also mobilise for Lagos. If nothing changes, either Monday, Tuesday, or within the week, we will storm the NYSC secretariats.”
Raye Rita’stroubles began after she publicly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration in March, highlighting Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship. She later accused NYSC officials of threatening her and attempting to force her to delete the viral video.
In June, the NYSC extended her service year by two months, preventing her from participating in the official Passing-Out Parade. Activists and civil rights groups condemned the move as political retaliation and a violation of her right to free expression.
Raye has since alleged that her biometric clearance was deliberately blocked despite providing all valid documents.
Falana: Withholding Certificate is “Illegal”
Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) also waded into the matter, calling for the immediate release of Rita’s certificate. In a statement on Sunday, he described the NYSC’s action as “a cheap demonstration of over-zealousness” and stressed that no court order authorised the seizure.
He compared Rita’s ordeal to that of the late activist Bamidele Aturu, whose certificate was seized in 1988 for refusing to accept an award from a military governor — an act Falana said was unacceptable in a democracy.
Sowore praised Rita’s resilience, revealing that her activism indirectly contributed to the recent increase in the NYSC allowance to ₦77,000.
“We are proud of you. You are not afraid, and many Nigerians stand with you,” he said.
