The Federal High Court in Ibadan, on Thursday, granted the application of the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, to serve originating summons on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Abuja.
Shittu had in the last few weeks been confronted with criticisms for not observing the mandatory one-year national youth service.
Justice P.I. Ajoku ruled that the service of the originating summons be served on the respondents through the bailiffs of the court.
“The service of the plaintiff’s processes on the first, third and fourth defendants who are in Abuja shall be effected by the bailiffs of this honourable court,” the judge ruled.
The judge, however, adjourned the case till Nov. 19 for a report of service.
The suit has the Director-General, NYSC; the State Coordinator, NYSC; the NYSC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the first, second, third and fourth defendants respectively.
Earlier, Mr Muktar Aderogba, counsel to the plaintiff, prayed the court to issue and serve the originating summons and the accompanying processes in the suit on the address of NYSC office in Abuja.
Aderogba added that he relied on the 12-paragraph affidavit and the written address supplied in support of his application.
The minister is seeking the order of the court to direct the first three defendants to issue him with a certificate of national service.
This, according to his originating summons, is based on having served the nation as a member of the House of Assembly of Oyo State between 1979 and 1983.
Alternatively, he is praying the court to grant an order to direct the first three defendants to issue him with a certificate of exemption from the NYSC.
This, he said, was again based on having served in an alternative capacity as a member of the Oyo state house of assembly.
