The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has intervened in the controversy surrounding a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, who allegedly faced threats from NYSC officials after criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a televised interview, TUC President Festus Osifo spoke out in defense of the corps member, emphasizing that she was expressing frustration over the hardships Nigerians are enduring due to the government’s economic reforms. Osifo advised the government not to target individuals like Uguamaye but instead to show more tolerance for criticism.
Uguamaye, a Lagos-based corps member, gained attention after posting a TikTok video in which she criticized the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, highlighting the struggles of Nigerians. Her video quickly went viral, but it also attracted the attention of NYSC officials, who allegedly called her and threatened her to delete the video. The NYSC has yet to release an official statement on the matter.
Osifo expressed concern over the government’s response to dissent, saying, “They (government) have to develop this resilience to understand that people are frustrated, people are hungry, people are tired. So, if they decide to vent, I strongly believe that the government should not personalise it and come after such individuals.”
He continued, “Imagine a young lady carrying out her NYSC function, what does she really have to do to bring down the government? So, it is about personal frustration that she has aired.”
Osifo called for more patience and tolerance from the government, urging it to better understand the struggles that Nigerians are facing. “The government has to persevere much more, they have to be more tolerant, and they have to have this deep level of patience with Nigerians because people are passing through a lot as it stands today,” he said.
While supporting the right to free expression, Osifo also cautioned critics to express their views in a respectful and constructive manner.
In a statement released on Sunday, Amnesty International condemned the alleged threats and intimidation faced by Uguamaye, urging the Nigerian government to cease its attempts to silence dissenting voices. The organization emphasized that the government must respect the right of individuals to express their opinions without fear of violence or intimidation.
“The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with violence and threats to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions , in utter disregard for Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing dissenting views is not a crime,” Amnesty stated on its X handle.
This incident has reignited discussions about freedom of expression and the treatment of dissent in Nigeria, highlighting the ongoing tension between government actions and citizens’ right to critique those in power.
