A corps member serving in Lagos State has raised concerns about receiving threats following her viral video criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration over inflation and economic challenges.
The corps member, who posted the video on TikTok via @talktoraye, expressed deep frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions.
She did not hold back in her criticism of President Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader” and questioning the government’s efforts to address the hardships faced by citizens.
In her video, she also shared her disappointment with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, saying it has not been beneficial as she spends more than she earns from the allowance.
She said: “If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government. I just want to say to our president, I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.
“So, I am coming from a supermarket where I went to get foodstuff, and everything has gone up again. It’s just like every single week, prices keep increasing. I want to know, what is the government doing about this increase? Is there going to be a particular time when prices will stop going up? Why am I going to get a crate of eggs and I’m told it costs N6,500? It doesn’t make any sense that eggs would cost that much. I literally remember when eggs cost N800. I am so overwhelmed because this is the first time I’ve stayed out of my family house.
“After I left the supermarket, I got home, and the security and NEPA bills have skyrocketed, doubling in price. It is insane. I can’t keep up with these bills. Every single penny I make, I am using it to pay bills. The crazy thing is, you want to go out with your friend, and Uber is N25,000. Why are things so expensive?
“To make it worse, Lagos stinks. Everywhere smells. What is the government doing about the smell? Being an NYSC Corper, there is nothing so beneficial about this scheme. The money I spend on transportation is much more than the allowance the federal government pays us. We should start calling out the government. For example, Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to help our economy?”
Shortly after her video went viral, the corps member claimed she began receiving threatening messages, allegedly from NYSC officials.
She later posted another video where she was seen receiving a call from an NYSC official.
In the call, the official was heard saying, “Are you normal? Keep quiet and bring down the video you posted.”
She also shared screenshots of threatening messages on her Instagram page, @iamraye__, writing: “Deleting this content is of no use: because they already know me, however deleting it means whatever they do to me nobody would know, if they decide to give me a hefty punishment nobody would know because I used my own hands to cover it by deleting what I started.
“She’s asking people to Identify me? I’m not a criminal. Reading the NYSC rules, I didn’t commit any crime. Ask the NYSC lady to stop asking people to point me out, ATP she’s acting scary.
“All I did was lament, all I did was complain. I’m getting tons of messages like this from my fellow corpers. What is wrong with just 1 person complaining! Why are they looking for me like I’m a criminal? I’m not dumb.
“I made sure to not accuse the government of anything maliciously! I questioned them. I asked questions. As an NYSC Corper I didn’t sign off my freedom of speech.
“Leave me alone bruh. They keep calling me and I’ve switched off my phone. Now they are texting me my personal details on WhatsApp to inform me they know me well.
“Dear NYSC, if you say a Corper has faulted you wouldn’t treat them like this and scare them! You are scaring me for my dear life. Please leave me alone. You told me to report to the office on Monday. Okay! What else? Why are you looking for me? I just exercised my right to use the “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” this is the right of every citizen. Except they tell me being an NYSC Corper removes me from being a Citizen.”
The NYSC has yet to respond to these allegations.
