The Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, NBA-SPIDEL, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to sack the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, from office for allegedly violating the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Act.

In a suit marked FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024, the NBA also asked the court to compel the NYSC to nullify the certificates given to Ms Musawa and Chief Executive Officer of Kennis Music, Kenny Ogungbe.

Recall that a civil society organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, in August 2023 accused Ms Musawa of serving as a minister while undertaking the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme.

The NYSC subsequently confirmed the minister’s participation in the youth service despite being a public servant and over 30 years old.

Similarly, in October 2023, Mr Ogungbe shared a photo of himself in the NYSC uniform, announcing that he had finished NYSC at the age of 53.

However, the NBA, according to the Punch Newspaper, alleged that the issuance of the certificate to the duo was contrary to the provisions of NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the Chairman, NBA-SPIDEL, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and Secretary, NBA-SPIDEL, Funmi Adeogun, while Ms. Musawa, Mr Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria are the first to fourth defendants.

The NBA-SPIDEL alleged that the mobilisation of the duo for the mandatory one-year national youth service after exceeding 30 years of age was unlawful, illegal, and an affront to patriotism.

They also alleged that the purported national service and the certificates of service purportedly issued to them by the NYSC were null and void.

Part of their prayers to the court include a declaration that, “By virtue of the provisions of Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84 LFN 2004, the 1st and 2nd defendants are not entitled to be engaged as employees by any employer of labour or services [including the Federal Government of Nigeria] without first possessing and presenting their certificates of National Youth Service.

“A declaration that the 1st defendant is not entitled to continue to hold the exalted office of Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any public office in Nigeria after violently violating with flagrant impunity the provisions of Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84, LFN 2004.”

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