Federal court workers end strike resume today

The National Executive Council of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria on Sunday asked its members in the federal courts to resume work on Monday (today).

The NEC took the decision at its meeting which took place between 3pm and 7.30pm at the Supreme Court in Abuja on Sunday.

Their counterparts in the state judiciary across to the country are to await the outcome of a meeting the JUSUN officials are to have with stakeholders later on Monday.

The stakeholders, comprising the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Forum of Court Chief Registrars, Body of State Attorneys-Generals are to receive briefing on the outcome of the JUSUN’s NEC meeting at the Supreme Court on Monday.

It was learnt that the outcome of the meeting scheduled to take place by 12pm would determine whether or not the state courts would begin work immediately.

With the decision of the union’s NEC, the Supreme Court, the various divisions of the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court across the country will resume work after three weeks of shutdown on Monday.

The courts that will also resume tomorrow also include the Federal Capital Territory High Courts and all other courts in the FCT.

Other federal judiciary institutions — the National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission and the National Judicial Institute will resume work on Monday.

The JUSUN president, Mr. Adamu Marwan, who spoke with our correspondent after the NEC meeting on Sunday, said the directive given to the federal court workers to resume on Monday was part of the concession of the union to clear the impression that the strike was political.

The union’s three weeks old strike started on January 5, 2015.

The union is agitating for the implementation of the judgment delivered by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja on January 13, 2014.

The court in the judgment affirmed the financial autonomy status of the judiciary and abolished its piecemeal funding by the executive.

The court also ordered the Accountant-General of the Federation to be deducting funds standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Federation Account and be remitting it directly to the various heads of court.

JUSUN’s executive committee had on Wednesday called for the NEC meeting after three days of marathon talks with stakeholders.