Reports has it that the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law has asked the court to unseat the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, from official duties for allegedly violating the National Youth Service Corps Act.
It was reported that the organization also urged the court to mandate the NYSC to invalidate the certificates issued to Musawa and a music promoter, Kenny Ogungbe, citing that the award of the certificate was not in lie with the provisions of NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.
In the suit marked FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024, the plaintiffs are the Chairman, NBA-SPIDEL, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and Secretary, NBA-SPIDEL, Funmi Adeogun.
Musawa, Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria are the first to fourth defendants, respectively in the suit.
The litigants alleged that the mobilization of Musawa and Ogungbe for the mandatory one-year national youth service by the NYSC after surpassing the age 30 years was unlawful, illegal, and undermines the spirit of patriotism.
It was equally alleged that Musawa and Ogungbe’s supposed national service and the certificates of service claimed to have been issued by the NYSC unenforceable.
The plaintiffs’ plea for declaration was quoted as saying; “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 labor 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.”
Media reports have it that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria had accused Musawa in August 2023 of serving as a minister while undertaking the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme.
In the same vain, in October 2023, there was a controversy on social media when Ogungbe took to social media to share a photo of himself in the NYSC uniform, saying that he had completed NYSC at age 53.
As at press time, efforts aimed at reaching the Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Minister Hannatu Musawa, did not yield result as calls to her number indicated it was unreachable. Meantime, replies are being expected as a message sent to her has not been responded to.
