The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has added two extra months to the service year of Rita Ushie, widely known on social media as Raye.
This follows a viral video where she criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
Raye, who had just one month left in her national service, posted the video in March, lamenting the harsh economic realities and expressing frustration with her monthly allowance, which she said could no longer cover basic needs.
In the video, she questioned the government’s response to inflation and described Lagos as unlivable, citing rising prices of food, transportation, and utility bills.
Shortly after the video circulated, Raye said she was contacted by NYSC officials who warned her to take down the content.
She claimed she was also summoned by her Local Government Inspector but was not received when she appeared at the Eti-Osa office alongside a legal team and activist Omoyele Sowore.
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The matter faded for a while, but on June 18, she was asked to report at the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, for another disciplinary session.
After delays and without receiving any formal letter, Raye later informed her family that her service year had been extended as punishment.
A human rights group monitoring the case confirmed that she was devastated by the decision.
Back in March, Raye had used her TikTok account to speak out on the high cost of basic items like eggs and transportation.
She said her NYSC allowance was no longer enough to survive and wondered how the government intended to manage the crisis.
Her statements drew support from many Nigerians, especially young people, who viewed the NYSC’s response as an attack on free speech.
Despite the public outcry, NYSC has not publicly explained the decision to extend her service year.
Raye is yet to speak further, as her family says she is too upset to grant interviews.
