JUSUN had directed its members at the state level across the country to embark on an indefinite strike beginning from last Friday. This nationwide strike has hindered judicial activities in the states and High courts.

In a communiqué released by JUSUN last Thursday signed by JUSUN National President, Mr. Marwan Adamu and its General Secretary, Mr. Isaiah Adetola, the union explained that the strike with other actions  taken is to press home its demand for various state governments in the country to comply with court judgments which granted financial autonomy to the judiciary at both the state and federal levels.


Meanwhile, two high profile cases involving Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr. Olawale Babalakin (SAN) and Managing Director of Cross Country Transport Company, Mr. Bube Okorodudu, before an Ikeja High Court were stalled by the workers' strike.

Okorodudu, who came to   court in compliance with the order of Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, could not gain entrance into the court premises.
Justice Lawal-Akapo had issued a warrant for his arrest  to appear in court yesterday to answer an alleged theft charges of N82.8 million preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Okorodudu's counsel, Godswill Mrakopr, said his client's absence from court all this while was because he travelled out on health grounds.

He said immediately Okorodudu, arrived the country last Friday, he had reported himself to the police at Zone 2, Onikan and was in court as ordered by the trial judge.

JUSUN also directed its members in the federal judiciary to be on the alert as they could also be asked to join the strike anytime in solidarity with their state counterparts.

The communiqué read in part, “after the exhaustive deliberation on the refusal/failure of state governments to respect/implement the Federal High Court, Abuja, judgment/orders in respect of financial autonomy of state the judiciaries as well as failure of stakeholders to abide by the decision to set up a technical implementation committee of the FAAC meeting of June 17, 2014, it is resolved by NEC as follows:

“That all judiciary staff at state level nationwide should proceed on an indefinite strike with effect from Friday, July 11, 2014.

“That the national secretariat of the union shall notify federal judiciary workers to join the action as events unfolds.

“That the National Executive Committee of the union after a review of events in the Rivers State Judiciary also resolved that JUSUN members in the state should continue and sustain their current strike until the major stakeholders, find an amicable solution of the leadership crisis in the Rivers State judiciary. Meanwhile the NEC in session has announced total takeover of action in River State”.

The union described as “unfair” the situation whereby the National Judicial Council and the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission were issuing separate conflicting directives for and against returning to work.