A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the NYSC must allow female corps members to wear skirts in line with their religious beliefs, declaring the trousers-only policy unconstitutional and awarding damages to two former members who challenged it.
In a landmark ruling, the Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) must permit female corps members to wear skirts if it aligns with their religious beliefs. The court ruled that the NYSC’s policy requiring female members to wear only trousers is unconstitutional.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa, who delivered the judgment on June 13, 2025, stated that the policy violates the 1999 Constitution (as amended)—specifically, the rights to freedom of religion and human dignity under Section 38(1).
The case was brought by two former corps members, Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, who had been denied the right to wear skirts during their NYSC service. Their separate lawsuits were merged due to similar legal claims.
They argued that being forced to wear trousers went against their Christian beliefs, citing Deuteronomy 22:5, which prohibits women from wearing men’s clothing. They claimed the NYSC’s dress code infringed upon their religious rights and caused them harassment and humiliation.
Reliefs Granted by the Court:
- A declaration that denying female corps members the option to wear skirts violates their constitutional rights and religious freedom.
- An order compelling NYSC to recognize and allow skirts as part of the official uniform for female corps members with religious objections.
- A directive for NYSC to recall the affected former corps members and issue them their NYSC certificates.
- ₦500,000 in damages was awarded to each applicant for the emotional and psychological harm suffered. (They had requested ₦10 million each, but the court settled on ₦500,000.)
The NYSC and its Director-General were named as respondents in the consolidated cases: FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020.
This ruling marks a significant step in recognizing and protecting religious rights within public institutions in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Kwara Sanctions Teacher for Assaulting NYSC Member
Stories You Shouldn't Have Missed:
- Shy Schoolboy Sings with a Beautiful Melody on Assembly Ground, Wows Many Online
- “Gentleman of the Year” – Boy Hailed for Carrying His Female Classmates’ Bags
- “Harsh and Archaic”: OAU Students Oppose New Dress Code
- Insecurity Fears as Lady Posted to Borno for NYSC Spends Two Days on the Road
- Nigerian Lady Shines as Best Female Graduate with 4.99 First-Class Degree in Petroleum Engineering
- Brilliant Lady Reveals How She Pushed Herself to Bag First Class After Losing Her Parents
- AAU Probes Lecturer Over Alleged Rape of Teenage Food Vendor
Join Our 500,000+ Community:
Thank you so much for reading. We will appreciate it if you share this with your loved ones.