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.

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.

Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has claimed that there are plans to arrest her upon her return to Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview on Sunday from the United States, where she attended the recent Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan stated, “I’m aware there are plans underway to have me arrested as soon as I arrive Abuja.

The Senate President Akpabio sent three staff headed by the Chargè D’Affairs of the Nigerian embassy in New York to evacuate me from the United Nations premises right after my speech. I was rescued by parliamentarians from other countries and the security,” she said.

Attempts to reach Senate President Godswill Akpabio for comments were unsuccessful, as his spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, had yet to respond to multiple calls.

Addressing how she attended the IPU meeting despite not being officially nominated by the Nigerian government, Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she secured her accreditation independently. She said she registered online as a senator and was able to attend because she was already on the IPU’s mailing list as a past participant.

“I registered online as a senator. The suspension does not remove my legitimacy as a senator. I registered online and got a pass. I attended the same programme last year and was already on the mailing list. After I got a pass, I bought my own ticket and funded my trip and participation at the event,” she said

She further revealed that this was not her first time at an IPU event. In March 2024, she was part of Nigeria’s official delegation to the 148th IPU General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, alongside Senate President Akpabio, Cross River South Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.

Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified that her participation in the latest IPU event was facilitated through her previous attendance at a meeting organized by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). She also noted that IPU events are not restricted to government officials but are open to individuals and civil society organizations.

She emphasized that she traveled to New York using a visa on her ordinary Nigerian passport rather than an official passport.

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The Kano State Joint Task Force Committee on Peace Restoration and Youth Rehabilitation under the leadership of Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar Mata, conducted mass operations in Yakasai, Kofar Mata, Zango, Zage, Zanzado, Rimi Market, Shahuchi Park, Kano Line, Sharada, Ja’en, Dan Agundi and neighboring areas.
The Committee PRO, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the Hon. Commissioner of the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, in a statement on Saturday, said between the 13th and 14th of March, 2025, intelligence-led operations which were conducted at the criminal hideout and black spots resulted in the arrest of fifty-three (53) suspected thugs, drug dealers and recovered three (3) Parcels,
Fifty (50) wraps and other large quantity of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa (Wiwi), two (2) Codeine syrup, two (2) tubes of rubber solution, one (1) gallon of suck and die, one hundred and five (105) pieces of suspected exol tablets, five (5) cutlasses, and two (2) scissors.
Others are two (2) clubs (Gora) and a bulk of suspected charms.
According to the statement, during the operations, the Task Force recovered substantial quantities of cannabis sativa at some notorious drug joint in Zanzado, where a larger quantity of the substance was found.
Additionally, a delivery vehicle and five (5) cattle suspected to belong to an infamous drug dealer, were also seized at this location.
The statement further stated that all the suspects arrested would be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
The success recorded in the two-day operations indicates a significant step in the ongoing efforts to combat thuggery and substance abuse in Kano State.
“The composition of the committee which brought together combined security agencies and Government functionaries is dedicated to sanitizing the streets of Kano and restoring peace to the communities.
“The Kano State Joint Task Force Committee remains steadfast and resolute in its mission to create a safer, drug-free and peaceful environment for the benefit of all the inhabitants in the State,” the statement added.