In a judgement delivered on June 13, 2025, a certified true copy of which was sighted, Justice Hauwa Yilwa held that the NYSC’s enforcement of trousers as the only acceptable uniform for female participants violated the constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of religion and human dignity.

The cases, initially filed separately by former corps members, Ogunjobi Blessing and Ayuba Vivian, were later consolidated due to their legal similarities and adjudicated together by Justice Yilwa.

In the suits marked FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020, the applicants argued that being compelled to wear trousers contradicted their Christian faith, citing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as prohibiting women from wearing garments associated with men.

The applicants, in their separate suits, had sought the enforcement of their fundamental rights to freedom of religion, alleging that these rights had been violated by the respondents.

Listed as respondents in the suits were the National Youth Service Corps and the Director-General of the NYSC.

Their applications were brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 1–5 of the Fundamental Rights, Enforcement Procedure, Rules 2009, Sections 38 and 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, Articles 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 17, and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Yilwa, granted all the reliefs sought by the applicants and issued identical orders in both cases.