Amnesty International has condemned officials of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for allegedly sending threatening messages to a corps member who criticised the President Bola Tinubu-led administration over rising inflation and economic hardship.
Daily Trust had reported how the corps member in a widely circulated video shared on Tiktok expressed frustration over the deteriorating economic conditions in Nigeria.
She openly tackled President Tinubu, calling him a “terrible leader,” and questioned what steps the government is taking to ease the suffering of citizens.
After her video gained traction, the serving corps member claimed she began receiving threatening messages, allegedly from NYSC officials.
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She shared another video in which she was receiving calls from an NYSC official.
In the video, the official could be heard saying, “Are you normal? Keep quiet and bring down the video you posted.”
Reacting, Amnesty International, in a post on X, said instead of threatening her, the authorities “should be prioritizing addressing the country’s economic woes.”
“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,” the human rights organisation said.
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