- Safiu Kehinde
Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for allegedly threatening a Corp member who criticized President Bola Tinubu.
NPO reported that the corp member identified as Ushie Rita, had taken to her tiktok page @talktoraye to express distress over the soaring cost of living particularly as a youth corper.
She decried the economic condition of the country which claimed was overwhelming for her as she labelled Tinubu a “terrible President”.
Rita would, in another post alleged being threatened by NYSC Board to pull down the video.
Reacting in a statement issued on Sunday, Amnesty accused NYSC of intimidating the Corp member for lamenting over the economic hardship in Nigeria.
The human rights group held that the government should priortize addressing the Nigeria’s economic woes which has left millions of people in extreme poverty.
Amnesty charged Nigerian authorities to stop responding with violence and threats to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions.
This, according to the statement, is an utter disregard for Nigerian constitution and international law.
The statement read in part; “Amnesty International strongly condemns threats and intimidation directed at a lady who posted TikTok video lamenting the current escalating economic hardship. The lady alleged that NYSC officials @officialnyscng threatened her for refusing to delete the video.
“It is perfectly within her right to express discontent peacefully. Instead of threatening her for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should be prioritizing addressing the country’s economic woes.
“Millions of people in Nigeria are facing extreme poverty. So far, the authorities have failed to put in place effective mitigation measures, leaving millions of people without the hope of getting out of the economic challenges and enjoying their human rights.
“The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with violence and threats to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions — in utter disregard for Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing dissenting views is not a crime.”