Judges, lawyers, court staff and litigants have been locked
out of the Federal High Court (FHC) headquarters in Abuja, as members of the
Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) commenced an indefinite strike on
Monday.
The court complex, located along Shehu Shagari Way, has all
its entrances to the building locked, effectively shutting down all activities
within and around the premises.
The strike also affected other key courts in the federal
capital territory (FCT). The court of appeal in Abuja and the FCT high court
were similarly shut, leaving litigants and legal practitioners stranded.
The industrial action follows a directive from JUSUN’s
national body, which instructed all chapter chairmen to enforce a stay-at-home
order starting from midnight on June 1.
“This directive follows unfruitful meetings in the instance
of the minister of labour and employment, who was conciliating on our matter,”
reads a circular dated May 30 and signed by M.J. Akwashiki, JUSUN’s acting
national secretary.
“We believe that as directed by the organs of the union,
National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) of our
great union, the action will continue until further notice.
“Our demands are for the government to pay us 5 months’ wage
award, implement the N70,000 national minimum wage, as well as the 25/35
percent salary increase. Solidarity forever.”
However, judiciary workers under the National Judicial
Council (NJC) and in the supreme court pulled out of the planned strike.
In a statement on Saturday signed by Joel Ebiloma,
spokesperson for JUSUN, NJC chapter, the council said following the directive
to embark on a strike, a series of meetings were held.
Ebiloma said the meetings were between JUSUN of various
federal judicial bodies, minister of labour, and other stakeholders in the
judiciary.
He said it was resolved that the NJC give the labour
minister and other critical stakeholders two weeks to address the issues with
the office of the accountant-general of the federation.
“In the light of the above, we wish to state clearly that
the NJC JUSUN hereby directs all staff to come to the office on Monday,” the
statement reads.
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