Human rights lawyer Femi Falana and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have criticised the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for withholding the discharge certificate of Lagos corps member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye.
Falana described the move as overzealous and illegal, noting that no court had authorised the seizure. He compared it to the 1988 case of Bamidele Aturu, whose certificate was confiscated during military rule, and said such actions have no place in a democracy.
Atiku called the decision “impunity” and questioned whether it was linked to Raye’s criticism of government economic policies. He said it was unacceptable for someone who had completed service to be denied a certificate and urged the NYSC to release it immediately.
The NYSC defended its action, saying Raye’s service year was extended by two months after she missed the April 2025 biometric clearance. It said the measure was routine and applied to over 130 corps members in similar circumstances, insisting it was not politically motivated.
