From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) yesterday paralysed activities at the Court of Appeal and Federal High Courts in Maitama, Wuse Zone II, Garki, Nyanya and across the country. But, at the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council (NJC), business activities went unhindered.
On May 30, JUSUN national body, in a circular by its acting National Secretary, M.J Akwashiki, had asked all its chapters’ chairmen to direct all their members to stay at home from midnight, June 1.
“This directive follows unfruitful meetings in the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment who was conciliating on our matter.”
The statement titled, ‘Strike Circular’ listed the demands to include the payment of a wage award spanning five months, implementation of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage, as well as the 25 percent and 35 percent salary increase.
“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.”
Although there were reports that some chapters of the union had backed out from the industrial action, as at 9:48am, all Federal High Court gates in the FCT were shut as the FHC chapter of JUSUN locked out judges, lawyers, staff and litigants from accessing the court following the indefinite strike declared by its national body.
A visit to the FHC headquarters located along Shehu Shagari Way in Abuja revealed that all the entrance gates into the high-rise building were under lock and key. Judges, staff, lawyers, litigants and members of the public were denied access as business activities in and around the court were paralysed.
In Lagos, staff members of the FHC, lawyers, litigants and journalists, who arrived at the court, were denied access.
The strike also affected food vendors at the court premises, who were equally directed to return home.
JUSUN chairman in the FCT High Courts, Abdulrazaq Yusuf, said the strike had begun.
“There is the matter of the wage awards which the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria members have not received.
“The Minister of Labour and Employment called the NJC, the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Accounting General Office, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Budget to a meeting.
“It has not been resolved. All we have been hearing is that they are in the process of paying this money,” he said.
He said some court branches of the JUSUN, like the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council decided not to comply with the strike order.
“The strike is ongoing until June 14. We are going to take necessary actions against the unions that refused to join,” he said.
A JUSUN official at the National Industrial Court, who craved anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that their salary was no longer enough as a result of the current economic situation in the country.
He said the workers were seriously suffering while judges in the courts did not see them as part of them.
According to the official, several steps taken to ensure their demands are met have been unsuccessful.
The JUSUN representative said about 10 members of staff of the National Industrial Court nationwide had died from February 2025 till date.
“The suffering is too much and we are not asking for too much,” he said.
A JUSUN official at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, Mr Atanda Babatunde, said the strike was embarked on in compliance with the directive of the national leadership of JUSUN.
Babatunde said the strike would continue until their demands were met.
A lawyer, Mr Ismail Saka, who was at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, expressed disappointment over the strike.
He said one of his clients came from Sango-Ota, Ogun State, for the case, risking his life and wasting time and resources.
A litigant, Mr Seye Olawale, who came from Lagos State, said he was seriously pained risking his life on the bad road and wasting time and resources to come to Ibadan.
Meanwhile, Mr. Marwan Adamu, national president of JUSUN, has said all the organs of the union would meet to review and take necessary action following the feedback from the ongoing strike.
He insisted that there was no division in the leadership of JUSUN.
On why the workers at the Supreme Court and NJC refused to join the strike, Adamu said: “There are leaders of the JUSUN chapter at the Supreme Court, you should have asked them.
“They are in the position to tell you why they are not complying.
“We have agreed to go on a strike. It is not an individual matter; it is a decision of the organ.
“If one of the organs is not complying, it is their duty to tell you why they are not complying.”
According to him, it is not an issue of division.
He reminded them that the judiciary workers at the state level were not part of the ongoing industrial action.
“Why we are on strike is because the implementation of the minimum wage and wage award have not been effected. We have given approval to chapters to proceed on strike as demanded.
“So, if any chapter decides to pull out, it is left for them to tell you because he who asserts must prove. The onus of why they are not joining is on them and not me.
“As far as the national body is concerned, they came with the problems, we looked at it, we followed all due processes. We gave 21 days ultimatum, it has expired. We gave 14 days, it has expired. We gave seven days, it expired and they sought approval to proceed on strike.
“Collectively, on a document they signed, and we have given them. So, if today, they decided to pull out, it is for them to say why they pulled out,” he said.
Adamu, therefore, said that all the organs of the union would meet to review the level of compliance.
“You are a member of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) I believe and NUJ has its organs; has a process? So, you cross the bridge when you reach the river. We started today, there is a feedback of what had happened.
“So, it is now for the organs to meet, review and take the necessary steps and not for me to say what I will do because it is not an individual issue. It is a decision of an organ,” he said.
He said he could not tell how long the strike would last.
“Currently, as I am speaking with you, a meeting at the instance of the Chief Justice of Nigeria is taking place now. And if the meeting is not combined, there is going to be another meeting with other stakeholders at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
“If the demands are met, it will be resolved but I can’t tell you when the strike will be called off,” he said.
The Supreme Court, in a communique issued at the end of its meeting, said that workers came to the conclusion of not joining the industrial action after assessment of the issues, as well as efforts of the CJN to meet their demands. The communique confirmed that the CJN had already visited the Presidency and tabled their demands in order to get them resolved fully.
The communique signed by 12 principal officers of the Supreme Court Chapter of JUSUN led by the chairman, Mr Danladi Nda, said joining the strike would amount to misplacement of priority and neglect and will result in exercise in futility,
“With CJN’s commendable efforts, we owe her our unwavering support in order to get the expected allowances and others paid.
“Lower sister courts’ position on the planned nationwide strike cannot be managed by us in the Supreme Court as it will put the CJN’ efforts in vain, jeopardy and swept under the carpet.
“We pray that our colleagues would be calm and allow the efforts of the CJN to achieve meaningful results,” the communique read in part.