'Lagos is smelling': Did NYSC extend corper Raye's service year over viral video?

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has denied allegations that it extended the service year of a corps member, Rita Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, as a punitive measure for her viral criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Uguamaye sparked online attention after she posted a TikTok video via her handle @talktoraye, lamenting Nigeria’s economic hardship and criticising Tinubu as a “terrible leader.”

She also referred to Lagos as a “smelling state” with “poor living conditions,” triggering both backlash and support online.

Amid the controversy, Uguamaye later claimed in another video that NYSC officials were pressuring her to take down the content, alleging threats to her safety.

The NYSC, however, did not issue any official statement addressing those allegations. The issue escalated when activist Omoyele Sowore claimed that the NYSC had extended her service year by two months in retaliation for her political statements.

“This Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu regime might go down with Rita Raye’s NYSC matter,” Sowore declared in a post on Tuesday, June 24, vowing to protest at the corps’ passing out parade if the matter was not resolved.

“We will mobilise down to the Passing Out Parade, except Rita is allowed to complete her NYSC national service without let or hindrance,” Sowore added.

NYSC Reacts: "We Are Not Irresponsible"

In a swift response, the acting Director of Press and Public Relations for the NYSC, Carol Embu, dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

"Who is Sowore? Does he work with the NYSC? So, how come you are listening to him?” she queried when contacted.

“NYSC is not an irresponsible organisation; we work with rules and regulations. She is still serving; if she has any issues, we will wait and see,” Embu stated.

She clarified that service year extensions only occur during the formal passing out process and are subject to specific guidelines, not arbitrary decisions.

As of press time, Uguamaye had not posted any confirmation on her social media pages regarding an extension of her service year, and the claim could not be independently verified.