Confusion as Lagos JUSUN considers partial resumption

There was confusion, yesterday, following an attempt by judicial workers to resume full duty in Lagos State after a 23-day strike over demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

The resumption notice followed a directive by the Administrative Department of the Lagos State Judiciary. The National Public Relations Officer, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Koin Selepreye, requested all workers to disregard the directive.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the referenced publication signed by one Mr. Sanusi, Kamal A. (Director, Admin/HR) requesting workers of Lagos State Judiciary to be on their duty posts on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of every week, from Thursday, April 29, 2021.

“The NWC has taken steps to curb this ugly situation and request all workers to disregard this directive as no state has the authority to suspend the ongoing strike, Lagos inclusive.

“The strike is still very much on until we reach a conclusion.

“We are kindly requested to disseminate this information to reach all workers, especially the Lagos State judiciary workers,” he added.

Meanwhile, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), has described as unacceptable the purported partial call-off of the strike by Lagos JUSUN.

He said: “I ask JUSUN, who is collecting revenue for the courts in Lagos State, is it not Alpha Beta? Who buys vehicles for judges and members of staff, is it not the executive? Why do we deceive ourselves?

“Personally, I’m concerned that the government of Lagos State is doing so much to abort the strike in the same fashion that it succeeded in dividing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) into executive sessions in State House Marina, instead of mass action.

“This is totally unacceptable, for Lagos State JUSUN. It is either you are on strike or you are not.”