Court Orders NYSC To Allow Female Corps Members Wear Skirt

A Federal High Court in Abuja has invalidated the prohibition on female members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) wearing skirts, declaring the policy unconstitutional and discriminatory.

In her judgment, Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa ruled that the NYSC’s requirement for female corps members to wear only trousers as part of the uniform infringed upon their constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of religion and human dignity.

The lawsuit was filed by two former corps members, Ogunjobi John Blessing and Ayuba Vivian, who were denied their discharge certificates for refusing to wear trousers during their service year. The cases, initially filed separately, were later merged by the court.

In her ruling, Justice Yilwa declared, “The refusal of the NYSC to recognize and allow skirt as part of its uniform is a breach of their right as contained in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as Deuteronomy 22 v 5 of the Bible.”

The court ordered the NYSC to pay N10 million in damages for violating the plaintiffs’ rights.

Ayuba, a 2018 Microbiology graduate from Kaduna State University, was posted to Zamfara State for her mandatory service and declined to wear the trousers provided, citing her religious beliefs.

The NYSC, in its defense, argued that corps members agree to abide by the programme’s rules and regulations, including wearing a standardized uniform to promote discipline and uniformity.

However, the court held that the trousers-only policy for female corps members violates fundamental human rights and cannot supersede the religious freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.

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