The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) policy mandating trousers as the only uniform for female corps members is unconstitutional and infringes on their right to religious freedom.
In a landmark judgment delivered on June 13, 2025, Justice Hauwa Yilwa declared that the NYSC’s refusal to permit female corps members to wear skirts on religious grounds violates the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and human dignity.
The case was brought before the court by two former corps members, Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, who challenged the policy after being compelled to wear trousers during their service. Both applicants argued that the policy conflicted with their Christian beliefs, referencing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as forbidding women from wearing male clothing.
Initially filed as separate suits—FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020—the cases were later consolidated due to their similarity and heard jointly by Justice Yilwa.
The judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for the NYSC’s uniform policy and its accommodation of religious practices.
