Amnesty International called on the Federal Government on Sunday to stop threatening individuals and groups who criticize the current administration.
In a statement shared on its X handle, the organization stated, “The Nigerian authorities must stop responding with violence and threats to individuals and groups who express dissenting opinions, in clear violation of the Nigerian constitution and international law. Holding and voicing dissenting views is not a crime.”
Amnesty International also condemned the alleged threats and intimidation faced by Lagos-based National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Uguamaye, following her viral TikTok video criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s government over the hardships Nigerians face due to economic reforms.
The human rights group decried the reported threats from NYSC officials, stressing that Uguamaye was exercising her right to express frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the threats and intimidation directed at the woman who posted a TikTok video highlighting the escalating economic hardship. She claimed that NYSC officials @officialnyscng threatened her for refusing to delete the video,” the statement read.
The organization emphasized that Uguamaye’s peaceful expression of discontent was entirely within her rights. Instead of threatening her for her views on rampant inflation, the government should focus on addressing the nation’s economic challenges.
“Millions of Nigerians are suffering from extreme poverty, and the authorities have failed to implement effective measures to alleviate these challenges, leaving people without hope and denying them their basic human rights,” Amnesty International added.
Uguamaye alleged that, after her video went viral, she began receiving threats from NYSC officials, pressuring her to remove the content. She also expressed concerns for her safety, revealing that her personal information had been leaked and she was being coerced to report to the NYSC office.
