BY Austin Ogwuda, Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Supreme Court, Abuja, and the various divisions of the Federal High Court across the country were, yesterday, shut down by striking judicial workers under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JASUN.
At the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Mukhtar and other Justices of the Supreme Court, were locked out of their offices by the striking workers.
Activities were also paralysed at all the federal courts in Abuja in protest of what the workers described as “inhumane working conditions.”
Similarly, Federal High Court divisions in Delta, Lagos and Sokoto states, among others, were also shut by the striking workers.
In Abuja, the striking workers stormed the Appeal and Federal High Courts in their numbers, brandishing several placards. They blocked the entrance gates to both courts.
Army interferes
Meanwhile, armed military men were positioned at the entrance to the Aso Rock Villa, where the Supreme Court is situated, just as anti-riot police squads manned sentry within the various courts that were besieged by the protesters, yesterday.
Meanwhile, armed military men were positioned at the entrance to the Aso Rock Villa, where the Supreme Court is situated, just as anti-riot police squads manned sentry within the various courts that were besieged by the protesters, yesterday.
Meantime, efforts to pacify the aggrieved workers to allow the judges to access their offices, yesterday, proved abortive, a situation that culminated in the CJN directing the Chief Registrar of the apex court to quickly conduct a holistic investigation into the root cause of the crisis.
It’s fight to finish— Labour
Speaking to Vanguard yesterday, National Chairman of JASUN, Mr. Marwan Adamu, said the association’s action was sequel to Federal Government’s failure to issue a circular for the implementation of Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure, CONJUSS, which was approved for judiciary workers since 2009.
Speaking to Vanguard yesterday, National Chairman of JASUN, Mr. Marwan Adamu, said the association’s action was sequel to Federal Government’s failure to issue a circular for the implementation of Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure, CONJUSS, which was approved for judiciary workers since 2009.
The striking workers
He noted that a 21-day ultimatum issued by the union had since elapsed without any feedback from the government despite several correspondences between the two sides.
He said: “We the judiciary workers have resolved to fight to the finish this time around.”
He lamented that their demand for a document from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission for the implementation of CONJUSS has been stalled since 2009.
Adamu further blamed the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government and the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission for failing to release the said document, which he said would have prevented what happened, yesterday.
He noted that the strike was previously suspended in 2008, following which an agreement for the consolidated salary structure was reached in 2009, saying “we resolved that this time around, it will be indefinite till our demands are met.”
Placards
Some of the placards carried by the protesting workers, read: Without internal justice in judiciary there can’t be justice in Nigeria, It is now or never, The judiciary workers are asking for an improved welfare package, The judiciary is one of the three arms of government therefore we deserve to be fully autonomous, among others.
Some of the placards carried by the protesting workers, read: Without internal justice in judiciary there can’t be justice in Nigeria, It is now or never, The judiciary workers are asking for an improved welfare package, The judiciary is one of the three arms of government therefore we deserve to be fully autonomous, among others.
Meantime, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi, in a statement, appealed to the striking workers to sheathe their sword and go back to work.
