JUSUN Strike Cripples Courts In Benue

Litigants and lawyers were locked out as courts in Makurdi, Benue State capital, were on Thursday shutdown and Judicial activities crippled indefinitely  following the commencement of strike action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN.

National leadership of JUSUN had on Wednesday declared that members should proceed on nationwide indefinite strike action onThursday, over the non-implementation of financial autonomy for judiciary by the States Executive arm of government.

At 8am, members of the union, comprising of men of the bar, and judiciary staff, barricaded entrances leading to the court premises and were seen putting padlocks on all the gates and mounted green leaves on them to prevent access to the premises.

Addressing newsmen in Makurdi, the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association Makurdi branch, Mr Justin Gbagir stated that the strike is in compliance with the directive by the National leadership of NBA for members to join JUSUN for a Nationwide strike beginning from today.

Mr Gbagir stated that the strike became necessary following the failure of the Executive arm of government, especially at the state level to implement the financial autonomy to judiciary as stipulated by the Constitution and the Executive Order No. 10  signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on twentieth May, last year.

Contending that Judiciary as one of the  arms of government should be accorded the same constitutional privileges with the other arms,  Gbagir lamented the situation where it is compelled to depend for money from the executive to fund it’s operations, adding that the action is a breach of the rule of law which has resulted to infrastructural decay and poor welfare for staff.

He however acknowledged that the strike would have devastating consequences on the timely administration of Justice system, pointing out that  suspects and litigants cases would be delayed, thereby slowing down efforts towards decongesting detention facilities.

“The bar has resolved to discuss with Judiciary Staff to review the strike action with the hope of suspending it soon to pave the way for dialogue. We are also using this forum to call on Governor Samuel Ortom to act fast and domesticate the Judiciary autonomy to make history as the first state Governor to implement it”, Gbagir said.

In their separate remarks, the chairman of JUSUN, State chapter, Mr Terlumun Aba said they were participating in the strike on the order of the National Secretariat, while the National Auditor, Friday Ochai, said the strike was going on across all the states, saying he represented the National body to monitor the level of compliance.

Meanwhile, the strike has imposed confusion and frustration as many people who went to court    to do formal or informal transactions were turned back.