A serving corps member in Lagos State has raised alarm after allegedly receiving threatening messages following a viral video in which she openly criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu over rising inflation and the worsening economic conditions in Nigeria.

In the widely circulated video shared on TikTok via @talktoraye, the corps member expressed her frustration with the deteriorating economic situation, particularly the continuous rise in prices of essential goods. She criticized President Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader,” and questioned the government’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

“I just want to say to our president, I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president,” she said in the video, addressing the soaring prices of everyday items, including a crate of eggs now costing N6,500, up from around N800 in the past. She further highlighted the increased cost of living, including rising bills for security services and utilities, and the high price of transportation in Lagos.

The corps member also lamented the challenges she faces as part of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, explaining that her transportation costs far exceed the allowance provided by the federal government. She criticized the NYSC program for being less beneficial to her, given the financial strain she faces as a young adult living away from her family.

Following the widespread attention her video garnered, the corps member claimed to have received threatening messages from individuals allegedly linked to the NYSC. She shared a follow-up video where she showed a phone call from an NYSC official, who demanded that she remove the video. The official was heard on the call saying, “Are you normal? Keep quiet and bring down the video you posted.”

In a post on her Instagram account, @iamraye__, the corps member shared additional threatening messages she had received. She expressed concerns that deleting the video would leave her vulnerable to further harm, as it would obscure any accountability for potential repercussions. “Deleting this content is of no use because they already know me, but deleting it means whatever they do to me nobody would know,” she said.

She defended her actions, stating that she did not accuse the government of any malfeasance but simply questioned the steps being taken to address the country’s economic crisis. She emphasized her right to freedom of speech as a citizen and a member of the NYSC, insisting that voicing concerns was not a crime.

“Leave me alone. They keep calling me, and I’ve switched off my phone. Now they are texting me my personal details on WhatsApp to inform me they know me well,” she continued. “I just exercised my right to use the ‘FREEDOM OF SPEECH.’ This is the right of every citizen. Except they tell me being an NYSC Corper removes me from being a citizen.”

Amnesty International has condemned the threats and intimidation directed at the corps member, calling for an end to the harassment. In a statement, the organization expressed concern over the intimidation tactics allegedly employed by NYSC officials for simply speaking out against the government’s handling of the country’s economic crisis.

The NYSC has yet to respond to the allegations.

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