Human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that Ushie Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, is facing intense pressure to apologize after criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration over economic hardship.
Sowore, who accompanied Uguamaye to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office in Lagos on Monday alongside a legal team, claimed that government officials, including ministers, have been urging the corps member to retract her statements.
Speaking on Arise TV, Sowore insisted that Uguamaye did not commit any crime, emphasizing her constitutional right to free speech.
Uguamaye gained attention after a viral TikTok video in which she lamented rising inflation and worsening economic conditions. “I just left a supermarket, and prices have gone up again. Every single week, things keep getting more expensive,” she said in the video. She also directly criticized Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader.”
Following the video’s circulation, Uguamaye alleged that she received threats over her remarks. She later shared a screenshot of an NYSC invitation summoning her to appear before the LGI office in Eti-Osa 3 on Monday at 10:00 a.m.
Sowore, in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), stated that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and escorted her to the NYSC office along with attorneys. However, he later revealed that NYSC officials failed to show up during their visit, adding, “We will be back!”
