The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has dismissed allegations that Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye (State Code: LA/24B/8325), popularly known as “Raye,” was denied her Certificate of National Service due to her criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement released on Sunday, NYSC spokesperson Caroline Embu described the circulating claims as false and unfounded, clarifying that Raye’s certificate was withheld because of disciplinary reasons related to her absence during the mandatory April biometric clearance.
“Contrary to these claims, Raye is among 131 corps members whose certificates were withheld—not as a punishment for dissent—but due to valid disciplinary infractions. Specifically, her service year was extended by two months because she failed to attend the April biometric clearance as required by NYSC Bye-Laws,” the statement explained.
The NYSC emphasized that such extensions are standard procedural measures applied uniformly, without any political motivation. The agency noted that similar sanctions have long been enforced against corps members who fail to comply with clearance requirements.
“It is important to note that this extension is a standard procedure and not unique to her case, reflecting the principle of equal treatment,” the statement concluded.
Raye, who served in Lagos State, gained public attention months ago following a viral video in which she expressed frustration over the rising cost of living and economic hardships in Nigeria.
On Saturday, she took to Instagram to claim that she was denied her certificate when she went to collect it alongside her peers. According to Raye, NYSC officials alleged she had not completed her April clearance—a claim she strongly refuted.
She asserted that she had presented herself for clearance but was repeatedly instructed by her Local Government Inspector (LGI) to wait. She further alleged that the LGI later refused to clear her, confiscated her file, and asked her to leave the office.
