NYSC Denies Withholding Raye’s Discharge Certificate Over Criticism of Tinubu
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has refuted claims that it withheld the Certificate of National Service (CNS) of Corps Member Ushie Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as “Raye,” because of her viral criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the NYSC described the allegations as “baseless and unfounded,” clarifying that the decision to extend her service year was based solely on disciplinary grounds and had no political undertones.
“Contrary to these claims, Raye is one of 131 corps members whose CNS was withheld not as punishment for dissent, but for valid disciplinary reasons,” the statement read in part.
“Specifically, her service year was extended by two months because she failed to attend the April biometric clearance, as required by the NYSC Bye-Laws.”
The NYSC emphasized that such extensions are standard sanctions applied to all corps members who fail to meet the program’s clearance requirements.
Raye, with State Code LA/24B/8325, made headlines in April after a TikTok video in which she criticized the Tinubu-led government and described Lagos as “smelling” went viral.
The video sparked a wave of online reactions, prompting her to issue a public apology.
The scheme maintained that her remarks had no bearing on the decision regarding her discharge certificate, stressing that operational discipline and adherence to service rules remain its guiding principles.
