Rita Ushie, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member known online as Raye, has revealed that she was denied her discharge certificate after completing her mandatory one-year national service. The denial comes months after she publicly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s handling of Nigeria’s economic crisis.
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In a video shared on social media, Raye recounted her visit to the NYSC office with her fellow corps members to collect their certificates, only to be told that there was no certificate available for her. “I did not get my NYSC certificate today after one year of serving this country,” she said. “When it was my turn, they said, ‘No certificate for you.’”
Earlier this year, Raye accused NYSC officials of punishing her for speaking out against the government. She had posted a viral video in March condemning the soaring cost of living and describing Tinubu as “a terrible person” for failing to address Nigeria’s economic collapse. Shortly after, she claimed NYSC officials threatened her to remove the video.
In June, the NYSC extended her service by two months—a move widely seen by rights advocates as political retaliation. Now that the extension period has ended, Raye’s claim that she was denied the certificate confirming her service has ignited fresh controversy.
Social media users swiftly condemned the Tinubu administration and the NYSC, accusing them of harassment and political victimization. One commenter stated, “She didn’t get a certificate for serving this country after a year of mandatory service. There’s a problem with the ruling parties in this country.” Another warned, “Whoever is handling this lady’s situation in NYSC is merely making her more popular rather than punishing her. She is seen as a movement now.”
Critics have also drawn parallels with other recent cases where dissenters faced punitive actions, underscoring the growing risks of speaking out in Nigeria.
As of now, the NYSC has not issued a public statement explaining why Raye’s discharge certificate has been withheld.
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