The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) must permit female corps members to wear skirts in observance of their religious beliefs, declaring the scheme’s trousers-only uniform policy unconstitutional.
Delivering the judgment on June 13, 2025, Justice Hauwa Yilwa held that the NYSC’s insistence on trousers for all female participants violated their fundamental rights to freedom of religion and human dignity, as enshrined in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The case arose from separate suits filed by two former corps members, Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, who objected to wearing trousers on religious grounds. The suits were later consolidated due to their similar arguments.
Citing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as forbidding women from wearing men’s clothing, the applicants argued that the NYSC uniform policy was a breach of their Christian faith.
They also accused NYSC officials of harassing and humiliating them over their refusal to wear trousers.Reliefs Granted by the CourtThe court granted all the reliefs sought, including:
A declaration that the NYSC’s refusal to recognise skirts as part of the uniform violated their rights.
An order compelling the NYSC to allow and provide skirts for female corps members with genuine religious objections.
A directive to recall the affected former corps members and issue their NYSC certificates.
An award of ₦500,000 in damages to each applicant for the emotional distress and humiliation suffered.
Though the applicants initially sought ₦10 million in compensation, the court held that the ₦500,000 award was sufficient given the circumstances.
This landmark ruling sets a legal precedent for religious accommodation within the NYSC and potentially other uniformed institutions in Nigeria.
