(TUC) has spoken out against the alleged threats directed at a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, after she criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration on social media.
TUC President, Festus Osifo, urged the government to exercise patience and tolerance, emphasizing that Nigerians are facing economic hardships and should not be punished for expressing frustration.
“They (government) have to develop this resilience to understand that people are frustrated, people are hungry, people are tired. So, if they decide to vent, I strongly believe that the government should not personalize it and come after such individuals,” Osifo said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“Imagine a young lady carrying out her NYSC function, what does she really have to do to bring down the government? So, it is about personal frustration that she has aired,” he added.
Ushie had posted a viral TikTok video lamenting the struggles Nigerians face due to government policies. She later claimed that NYSC officials contacted her and threatened her to delete the video. The NYSC has yet to release an official statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also condemned the reported intimidation.
“The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with violence and threats to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions — in utter disregard for the Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing dissenting views is not a crime,” the organization stated on its X handle.
Osifo, while supporting the right to free speech, advised critics to express their views with decorum. However, he maintained that the government must be more tolerant, as many Nigerians are struggling under the current economic realities.
