Deborah Musa
The Federal High Court in Abuja was under lock and key on Monday, June 2, 2025, as judiciary workers defied earlier directives and joined a nationwide industrial strike, effectively barring access to judges, lawyers, litigants, and court staff.
When journalists visited the premises in the early hours of Monday, gates remained firmly shut with no court activity in sight.
A similar scenario unfolded at the Court of Appeal headquarters, also located in the Federal Capital Territory.
This development follows a communiqué issued by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) dated May 30, directing its federal chapters to embark on a strike action beginning midnight of Sunday, June 1.
The union blamed the move on unproductive negotiations with the Minister of Labour and Employment over pressing welfare issues.
JUSUN’s demands include the immediate payment of a five-month wage award, implementation of the proposed ₦70,000 national minimum wage, and enforcement of a 25% to 35% salary increment for judiciary workers.
Despite this, a statement released on Sunday by the National Judicial Council (NJC) chapter of JUSUN, signed by its Public Relations Officer, Joel Ebiloma, indicated that courts under the NJC—including the Supreme Court, the Federal High Court, and other federal judiciary institutions—would not be participating in the industrial action.
The statement cited the intervention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, as the reason for granting a two-week grace period to the government.
However, the situation on the ground painted a different picture. Court premises remained inaccessible, and legal proceedings were brought to a halt, leaving several stakeholders confused over the conflicting directives.
The latest disruption has once again thrown the judiciary into a state of uncertainty, with lawyers and litigants left stranded at court entrances, and no clear indication as to when normalcy will return.
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