Akure, June 13, 2025
Judicial workers in Ondo State have embarked on an indefinite strike over the state government’s failure to meet several longstanding demands, including improved welfare and full implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
The strike, which began Friday morning, has led to the closure of all courts across the state, grounding judicial activities and delaying ongoing cases.
In a statement issued by the Ondo State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Chairman Comrade Kayode Olorunfemi said the action became necessary after multiple meetings and correspondences with the government yielded no tangible results.
“We have exhausted all dialogue and peaceful engagement. The government has shown no genuine commitment to resolving issues around unpaid allowances, promotion arrears, and autonomy. Our members are tired of being taken for granted,” the statement read.
Lawyers, litigants, and civil society groups have expressed concern over the strike’s impact on justice delivery, especially for detainees and ongoing high-profile trials.
A senior lawyer in Akure, Barr. Tunde Ijagbemi, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene quickly:
“Delays in justice are denials of justice. The government must act fast to avert total paralysis of the legal system.”
Efforts to reach the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.
The strike adds to the growing wave of labour unrest in various sectors across Nigeria, with unions increasingly pressing for better welfare and policy implementation.