Judges, Lawyers Locked Out as Judiciary Workers Begin Strike
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) began a strike on Monday, with the Federal High Court chapter locking out judges, lawyers, staff, and litigants from accessing the court premises.
This followed the indefinite strike declared by its national body over the government’s failure to implement salary adjustments based on the new minimum wage of ₦70,000 and the payment of wage awards.
Judges, staff, lawyers, litigants, and members of the public were denied access as business activities in and around the court were paralysed.
At the Federal High Court headquarters located along Shehu Shagari Way in Abuja, all the entrance gates into the high-rise building were locked.
The Court of Appeal and the FCT High Court in Maitama were also placed under lockdown, with a banner labelled “JUSUN on strike” hung on the gate.
The JUSUN national body had, on May 30, in a circular issued by its acting national secretary, M.J. Akwashiki, instructed all chapter chairpersons to direct their members, effective from midnight on Sunday, June 1, to stay at home.
It said, “This directive follows unfruitful meetings initiated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, who was conciliating on our matter.
“We believe that, as directed by the organs of the union—the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Council (NEC)—this action will continue until further notice.
“Our demands are for the government to pay us five months of wage awards, implement the ₦70,000 national minimum wage, and enforce the 25/35 per cent salary increase. Solidarity forever.”
The strike proceeded despite the intervention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who urged the union to suspend the strike to allow for negotiations with the federal government.
However, judiciary workers under the National Judicial Council (NJC) and in the Supreme Court had their gates open and did not participate in the strike, in line with statements made over the weekend by Joel Ebiloma, JUSUN spokesperson, and Danladi Nda, chairman of JUSUN’s Supreme Court chapter, that the council and the apex court would not take part in the action.
Efforts to speak with some executive members of the union were unsuccessful, as they were said to be in a meeting.
Although there were reports that some chapters of the union had backed out of the industrial action, as of 9:48 a.m., the Federal High Court gates remained locked.
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