Strike: JUSUN members disrupt activities at Nasarawa High Court

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By Edwin Phillip, Lafia

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Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Nasarawa State branch, on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest at the premises of the State High Court headquarters on Shadam Road, Lafia, in compliance with the indefinite strike declared by the union.

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Our correspondent reports that the union members carried placards with various inscriptions demanding, among other things, the implementation of salary increases and financial autonomy for the judiciary.

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Some of the placards read: “Let’s have our financial autonomy, time is now,” “Let’s have our right” and “Give us 40 percent increase in salary.”

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The main entrance of the court premises was, however, manned by a combined team of security personnel to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

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Addressing the protesters, the state Chairman of JUSUN, Comrade Mas’ud Ubangari, urged members to remain united, focused and law-abiding as they pressed for the implementation of their demands.

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Ubangari said the enforcement of the industrial action would be sustained peacefully until the state government and the Judicial Service Commission addressed the union’s demands.

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However, the Covering Director of Information and Protocol, Nasarawa State High Court of Justice, Mrs Esther Agube Ogidis, said the state Chief Judge had already put measures in place to address the demands of the judiciary staff.

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She questioned the decision to embark on the industrial action despite an order of the National Industrial Court restraining the union from proceeding with the strike.

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Similarly, the Director of Civil Litigation, Nasarawa State Ministry of Justice, Alhassan Sabo, described the industrial action as illegal.

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Sabo appealed to the JUSUN leadership to respect the interim injunction issued by the National Industrial Court restraining the union from commencing or declaring the strike pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

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The judiciary workers are demanding the implementation of a 58.1 per cent salary increase, financial autonomy for the judiciary and a 40 per cent peculiar allowance, among other demands.

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