The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) violated the Nigerian Constitution by refusing to allow female corps members to wear skirts in observance of their religious beliefs. Delivering judgement on June 13, 2025, Justice Hauwa Yilwa held that the NYSC’s insistence on trousers as the only acceptable uniform for female corps members infringes on the rights to freedom of religion and human dignity as enshrined in the Constitution. The ruling followed two separate but similar suits filed by former corps members Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, which were later consolidated. Both applicants had challenged the NYSC’s dress code, arguing that being compelled to wear trousers contravened their Christian beliefs, particularly referencing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as forbidding women from wearing clothing associated with men. The suits, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020, sought the enforcement of their fundamental rights, claiming that the NYSC’s dress policy was discriminatory and unconstitutional. The respondents in the suits included the National Youth Service Corps and its Director-General. The applicants brought the cases under Order 11, Rules 1–5 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009; Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended); as well as Articles 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 17, and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, invoking the court's inherent jurisdiction. They sought the following reliefs, “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. “A declaration that the use of skirts by the applicant in the NYSC scheme forms part of her fundamental rights to freedom of religion and to manifest the same in practice and observance as provided for in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). “A declaration that the harassment, embarrassment, and humiliation suffered by the applicant at the hands of NYSC officials constitute a clear infringement of her rights to freedom of religion and to manifest same in practice, as well as the right to human dignity and protection from degrading treatment. “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”. They also demanded damages for ₦10,000,000, and any such further order(s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.