Female corps members can wear skirts, court rules

Female corps members can wear skirts, court rules

By Jeffrey Agbo

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) violated the fundamental rights of two former female corps members by denying them the option to wear skirts on religious grounds.

In the judgment delivered on June 13, 2025 — a certified true copy of which was obtained by Punch on Sunday — Justice Hauwa Yilwa held that the NYSC’s insistence on trousers as the only acceptable uniform for female corps members breached the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and human dignity.

The case was brought by Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, whose separate suits — FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020 — were consolidated due to their similarities. The applicants, both Christians, argued that wearing trousers contravened their faith, referencing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as forbidding women from wearing male attire.

The NYSC and its Director-General were named as respondents in the suits, which were filed under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 and relevant provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The applicants sought several reliefs, including a declaration that the NYSC’s refusal to accommodate skirts violated their religious rights, as well as damages of ₦10 million each.

Among their requests was: “A declaration that the refusal of the NYSC to recognise and allow skirts as part of the NYSC uniform constitutes a breach of the applicant’s right under Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Deuteronomy 22:5 of the Bible, and a misinterpretation of Schedule 2, Article 1(I)(a) of the NYSC Bye-Laws 1993.”

They also demanded: “An order compelling the respondents, their servants, agents, privies, or anyone acting on their behalf, to recognise, allow, and provide skirts for the applicant or any female corps member wishing to wear same in accordance with Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Deuteronomy 22:5.”

In her ruling, Justice Yilwa granted all the reliefs sought by the applicants and issued matching orders in both cases.

“A declaration that the refusal to allow skirts for religious purposes is unconstitutional.

“An order mandating the NYSC to recognise and permit the use of skirts for female corps members with genuine religious objections.

“A directive compelling the NYSC to recall the affected former corps members and issue their certificates accordingly,” the court stated.

The judge further ruled that the treatment meted out to the applicants by NYSC officials amounted to harassment and degrading treatment, saying: “The actions of the respondents resulted in the applicants being embarrassed and humiliated.

“This is a blatant infringement of their fundamental rights.”

Although the court did not award the full ₦10 million sought by each applicant, it ordered the NYSC to pay ₦500,000 in damages to both women.