July 28, (THEWILL) — The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to recognise and permit the use of skirts as part of its official uniform for female corps members on religious grounds.
Justice Y. H. Halilu issued the ruling on June 25 in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by two former corps members, Blessing Ogunjobi and Vivian Ayuba, who challenged the NYSC’s policy mandating trousers for all female participants.
The court declared that the NYSC’s refusal to allow skirts violates Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion—including the right to manifest such beliefs in practice and observance.
The applicants, citing Deuteronomy 22:5, argued that wearing trousers contravened their Christian faith. The court upheld their position, describing it as a sincere religious conviction deserving of legal protection.
Justice Halilu also condemned the harassment and humiliation the applicants allegedly suffered at the hands of NYSC officials, ruling that such actions amounted to degrading treatment and a breach of their human dignity.
“The NYSC uniform policy, as it currently stands, has no overriding legal justification to infringe on constitutionally protected rights,” the judge ruled. He further held that enforcing a blanket dress code without accommodations for genuine religious beliefs amounts to discrimination.
While the applicants had sought ₦10 million each in damages, the court awarded ₦500,000 to each for the violation of their rights.
The court also ordered the NYSC to “recognise and allow the wearing of skirts as part of the official uniform for religious purposes” and to recall the affected former corps members to issue them their NYSC discharge certificates.
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