The Judicial Editors Forum (JEF) has appealed to the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to return to negotiations and end its ongoing strike, which has left federal courts across the country closed since Monday.
JUSUN directed its members to down tools on June 1, demanding payment of five months’ arrears, implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage, and a 25/35 per cent salary increase from the Federal Government. The strike has prevented lawyers, judiciary staff, and litigants from accessing court premises.
In a statement issued Tuesday, JEF Chairman Samuel Popoola urged both sides to find a resolution. “The Judicial Editors Forum, as a stakeholder in the judiciary, lends its voice along with other well-meaning Nigerians to call for a peaceful resolution of the ongoing industrial action by JUSUN. The demands are clear, but the most important thing, at this point, is how to chart the way forward and ensure a progressive outcome.”
Popoola noted the impact on those involved in legal matters. “Experiences of both litigants, lawyers, judicial and non-judicial staff, including visitors, who were forced to return home out of frustration on Monday, are quite sad,” he said.
He emphasized the judiciary’s role in a democracy. “In a democratic dispensation, the judiciary remains the only temple of justice and the last hope of the common man. If the courtrooms remain closed, it also means that expectations and/or hopes of many litigants may be dashed.”
The forum urged the Federal Government and JUSUN to “return to the negotiation table and find lasting solutions.” State high courts and magistrates’ courts are not affected by the strike, according to POLITICS NIGERIA.
As the strike continued into Tuesday, federal court activities remained paralysed, leaving many awaiting hearings and judgments uncertain about when normal operations will resume.
