Judiciary Workers, Allegedly, Call Off Strike

By Ayodele Oni

Reports from the Nigerianlawyers.com indicate that the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, (JUSUN), has suspended its two-month old strike.

According to the site, the decision was taken by the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Union at its emergency meeting on Wednesday, June 9, 2021

The suspension shall take effect from Monday 14th June, 2021 and all Judiciary workers are expected to resume office that day.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had, at a meeting with JUSUN leaders on Tuesday, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad in attendance, urged the striking court workers to put an end to the industrial action in the interest of the country and the suffering court users.

Recall that JUSUN had embarked on an indefinite strike which led to the closure of Courts since April 6, 2021.

JUSUN is demanding amongst other things, financial autonomy for the judiciary in the light of Sections 81 and 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and decisions of Federal High Courts to the effect that all funds due to the judiciary from the Consolidated Revenue Fund shall be paid directly to the Heads of the Courts concerned.

A subsequent Executive Order was issued by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari “Implementation of financial Autonomy of States Legislature and State Judiciary” on 20th May 2020, yet some State Governors have failed to implement this fundamental provision of the Law.