Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) locked out judges, lawyers, staff, and litigants from accessing courts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, in compliance with the directive of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the FCT High Court, Maitama; Federal High Court (FHC); Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court, revealed that court activities were completely halted as JUSUN members stationed themselves outside the heavily locked gates.
Comrade Samuel Ikpatt, Chairman of the FHC Chapter of JUSUN, affirmed the union’s total compliance with the NLC’s directive, stating, “We are the affiliate of NLC.
So we are in total compliance with the strike action, including all our divisions.”
He further noted, “There is nobody inside the courts because we are in total compliance with the directive,” emphasizing that the gates would remain closed until they receive further instructions from the NLC.
Similarly, Comrade Mohammed Danjuma-Yusuf, Treasurer of the JUSUN Chapter of the Court of Appeal, confirmed the shutdown, stating, “Court of Appeal is in total shutdown; 100 per cent compliance.
All the 20 branches of Court of Appeal is in total shutdown. Nobody is allowed in, even judges.”
The gates will only be opened upon receiving directives from the national headquarters of NLC.
The indefinite strike declared by the NLC and TUC commenced today, June 3, after negotiations with the government over the minimum wage reached a deadlock.
