The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria-herein after referred to as JUSUN- declared indefinite strike action has been over three weeks since its commencement. Many litigants including those in the correctional service centers have been crying for justice! Justice at this time for them has been denied due to unwarranted delays as a result of the JUSUN’s strike action! That is why I hereby call on the striking JUSUN and the government to hear the cries of the common litigants by calling off the strike action!
Some of my clients in civil and in criminal suits/cases have not been able to bear the impacts of the shutting of courts which affect their various cases in courts! Those clients whose cases are ongoing are also crying to a great disappointment! Would justice be served to these common litigants in the manner of the strike action?! I doubt vehemently! Shutting down the courts cannot and can never in my humble view be a solution to the call for judiciary’s financial autonomy! Therefore, the JUSUN and the government must as a matter of urgency call off the strike for common litigants are already crying out loud for justice!
Furthermore, we as members of the public must not leave the JUSUN and the government to handle and or address this issue of judiciary’s financial autonomy to their desire alone and politically, rather, the public are likely victims one way or the other. Therefore, the public must hold JUSUN and the government to accountability! It becomes enough for the common litigants to continue to suffer in the hands of injustice as a result of the JUSUN’s mandated strike action!
Cases in courts would also suffer long adjournments upon full resumption from the strike action and there are many other cases yet to be filed in courts! Therefore, after securing autonomy for the judiciary, then, the judiciary would still be overwhelmed with cases! Therefore, it is the best for the judiciary to resume hearing of courts’ cases now and not later!
Furthermore, the JUSUN and the government must be cautioned against encouraging common litigants to resort to self-help as a result of the disappointment against justice which they seek in the court of law due to the JUSUN’s indefinite strike action!
Finally, I hope that this brief call for a halt in the JUSUN’s strike action would be considered and that the strike would be called off at this moment and not later in the interest of the common litigants crying already for justice!
Email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com
