The announcement of the suspension is contained in a statement jointly signed by the coalition’s leaders, Mrs O. Edwin and Mr Segun Rotiba, on Tuesday in Akure.

They said that the suspension followed series of meetings and agreement.

”Consequent upon the withdrawal of services by members of the above coalition, there were series of meetings and engagements with the executive arm of government over the immediate demands of the coalition and the issue of financial autonomy for Ondo state judiciary.

“The engagements were conducted by critical stakeholders, including the coalition, JUSUN, and government.

“All pressing issues of official cars for magistrates,  Presidents of Grade A Customary Court, and new salary structure for magistrates, presidents legal research officers were considered.

“After a painstaking but realistic agreement on all issues, the demonstration of good faith, commitment towards immediate implementation of autonomy for Ondo State Judiciary and other demands raised in our letter, we hereby suspend the withdrawal of services and direct our members to resume work immediately,” the statement stated.

The coalition appreciated members for their commitment, executive of JUSUN for their strategic cooperation, lawyers  for their understanding, and the general public for their patience.

Source: NAN

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The post Magistrates in Ondo suspend strike appeared first on Frontpageng.

The suspension was announced in a memo signed by JUSUN chairman, Mr Terlumun Aba, on Tuesday in Makurdi, and addressed to the chief registrar of state’s High Court, directors in the Ministry of Justice, and judiciary staff.

The state’s chapter of the union had on December 6, 2024, embarked on an indefinite strike over non-implementation of the new minimum wage.

Governor Hyacinth Alia had in the last quarter of 2024 approved and implemented a N75,000 new minimum wage for all workers, which was rejected by JUSUN.

According to the memo, the national headquarters has approved that the ongoing industrial action embarked on by the Benue branch be suspended.

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“The suspension became necessary following a positive response of Benue State Government towards our demands.

“In regards to the above, the chairman, Comrade Aba Terlumun, has directed all staff of Benue State Judiciary to cease any further escalation of the strike; and as a matter of urgency, resume work tomorrow (Wednesday), April 23, 2025.

“Your cooperation during the strike period is highly appreciated,” the statement reads.

Source: NAN

The post JUSUN suspends indefinite strike in Benue appeared first on Frontpageng.

The JUSUN’s Deputy National Deputy President, Emmanuel Abioye, stated this in a communique issued at the end of an emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the union on Wednesday in Abuja.

JUSUN began a nationwide strike on April 6, over the failure of the government to implement the law recognising financial autonomy for the judiciary.

It would also be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on May 22, 2020, signed into law an Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.

According to Abioye, the NEC-in-session commended the Chief Justice of the Federation and all heads of courts for their patience and understanding throughout the period of the industrial action.

“NEC-in-session commends the effort of the NJC in making sure that the governors obey the MOA, judgment and agreement on the Financial Autonomy of the Judiciary.

“NEC-in-session commends the NWC/NEC and all JUSUN members for all their sacrifice, understanding and patience,” he said.

According to him, NEC condemned the actions of the Governors of Kaduna, Plateau and Benue for withholding salaries of Judiciary in their various states for months and urged all governors involved to do the needful.

Abioye also said that NEC-in-session agreed that there shall be introduction of peculiar allowance throughout the state and federal courts.

“NEC-in-session discussed extensively and after putting so many issues into consideration i.e. the intervention of NJC and other stakeholders, the NEC has resolved that the strike is hereby suspended.

“NEC-in-session pleads with the NJC, the Presidential Implementation Committee, Attorney General of the Federation, Accountant General of the Federation and all stakeholders to see that the issue of Judiciary Financial Autonomy is laid to rest finally.

“This is as provided for in Section 81 (3), 121 (3), and 162(9), of -1999 Constitution as amended,” he said.

He said that the NEC-in-session also frowned at the deduction of salary of JUSUN members of Bayelsa and requested that the deducted sum be restored forthwith.

Abioye, therefore, said that the NEC-in-session warned that members of JUSUN should not be victimised on the industrial action.

Source: NAN

The post JUSUN suspends two months strike appeared first on Frontpageng.

Police spokesman in the state, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said on Tuesday that the decongestion was carried out in collaboration with the office of the Chief Judge and Attorney-General of the state.

JUSUN on April 6 directed its members to shut down all courts across the country, demanding the implementation of law granting financial autonomy to the Judiciary.

“The command had been managing the situation in collaboration with the office of the state chief judge,” he said.

He, however, did not give the number of suspects that had been granted bail.

“We work with the office of the CJ and Attorney-General of Lagos State to decongest our cells.

“The CJ has provided the services of some Magistrates and District Prosecutors to assess case files and grant bail to some suspects.

“So, we are collaborating with them in this regard,’’ Adejobi said.

A verdict of the Federal High Court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, had in January 2014 held that financial autonomy for the judiciary is a constitutional provision that must be complied with by the executive branch of government.

On May 23, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

The order also mandates the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 made it mandatory that all states of the federation should include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

According to the AGF: “A Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).”

Nigeria Governors Forum said it would start implementing financial autonomy for the judiciary latest by May ending, a pledge that indicated that an end to the ongoing strike that has crippled the nation’s judiciary may be in sight.

The governors also called on striking members of the JUSUN to call off their two weeks old strike then.

The Chairman of the NGF, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, gave this assurance in an interview with journalists after meeting with “stakeholders” from the state judiciary and legislature at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Fayemi said the modalities for the implementation were worked out at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, was attended by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, representatives of the judiciary, Conference of Speakers and House of Representatives.

The first line charge status, which is being respected by the federal government in respect of the federal judiciary, entitles the state judiciaries to get funds due to them directly from the Federation Account.

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On April 6, JUSUN Judiciary workers, under the aegis of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike demanding an enforcement of constitutional provisions and court judgments granting financial autonomy to the judiciary at both the state and federal levels.

JUSUN and PASAN, made this known during a peaceful protest jointly organised on Thursday in Ibadan to further press their demands and carrying placards with various inscriptions.

The Oyo State JUSUN chairman, Kayode Martins, said the financial autonomy being requested for would enable the judiciary to function effectively without any interference from the executive arm.

Martins said the autonomy would ensure checks and balances among the arms of government and democracy would have its strong hold in Nigeria.

“What we are asking for does not only affect the judiciary and legislative arms but affect the whole society.

“If anything goes wrong, you run to the Judiciary being the last hope of the common man.

“If the judiciary does not have autonomy, it will be difficult to change the wrongs in the society and as well challenge some policies of the executive,” Martins said.

He called on the state governors to uphold the constitution and do the right thing by granting their autonomy.

In his address, the Oyo State PASAN Chairman, Mr Yemi Alade, said the association wanted the agreement reached with the governors to be documented.

Alade said that the strike would continue until their demands on financial autonomy were met.

“Not until those agreements are met and documented, the strike will continue. What we are fighting for is fundamental and constitutional,” Alade said.

The Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ibadan branch, Mrs Delayo Orieku, said what the legislature and judiciary were fighting for were their constitutional rights.

Orieku said the NBA was solidly behind them and called on the governors to obey the constitution and grant their demands.

A verdict of the Federal High Court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, had in January 2014, held that financial autonomy for the judiciary was a constitutional provision that must be complied with by the executive branch of government.

On May 23, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

The order also mandates the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

The Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory that all states of the federation should include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

According to the AGF, “a Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).”

Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, said they would start implementing financial autonomy for the judiciary latest by May ending, a pledge that indicates that an end to the ongoing strike that has crippled the nation’s judiciary may be in sight.

The governors also called on striking members of the JUSUN to call off their two weeks old strike.

The chairman of the NGF, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, gave this assurance in an interview with journalists after meeting with ‘stakeholders’ from the state judiciary and legislature at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said the modalities for the implementation were worked out at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, was attended by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, the representatives of the judiciary, the representatives of the Conference of Speakers, and House of Representatives.

The first line charge status, which is being respected by the federal government in respect of the federal judiciary, entitles the state judiciaries to get funds due to them directly from the federation account.

The governors rushed to court in 2020 to challenge an executive order signed by President Buhari for the enforcement of the first line charge status of both the state judiciary and legislature.

They argued that executive order which directs the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct funds meant for the state judiciaries and legislatures in the federation account and pay it to them was “unconstitutional”.

Source: NAN

The post Strike continues until our demands are met –JUSUN/PASAN appeared first on Frontpageng.

The chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, and governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, made this known on Monday.

He spoke with State House correspondent at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a meeting with some stakeholders where he said the modalities for the implementation of the financial autonomy had been worked out.

Fayemi was at the meeting with governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

Representatives of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria and Conference of State Assembly Speakers were also present at the meeting.

His words: “For us, we’re here for legislative and judicial autonomy and the governors, the speakers and the judges are on the same page as far as this issue is concerned.

“We just emerged from a meeting with the Solicitor-General of the Federation, representatives of the judiciary, representatives of the Conference of Speakers and House of Representatives and we are on all fours.

“An agreement has been reached.

“First, the issue is about implementation.

“There has been no objection from governors on judicial and legislative autonomies.

“As a matter of fact, it would not have passed if governors were not in support in the first instance, in the state assemblies.

“So, that issue has been fully and holistically addressed, but we don’t just want to agree to something on paper without working out the modalities for implementation.

“Thankfully, the meeting we have just emerged from, with the Chief of Staff to the President, has worked out the modalities to the satisfaction of all parties.”

JUSUN embarked on a nationwide protest on Monday to continue its demand for judiciary’s financial autonomy.

The post JUSUN: Governors set date for judiciary’s financial autonomy appeared first on Frontpageng.

This is as JUSUN commences its mass protest today.

CDWR sought the support in a statement made available to FrontPage.

The statement is signed by Mr. Rufus Olusesan and Mr. Chinedu Bosah, national chairperson and national publicity secretary of the group, respectively.

The support, CDWR said, would make it possible to achieve financial autonomy for the judiciary as a step to a better working condition and proper running of the judiciary in general.

The statement reads: “Judicial workers under the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) have embarked on nationwide strike action since April 6, 2021 to demand financial autonomy for the judiciary as a step to a better working condition and proper running of the judiciary. The strike action has led to the shutdown of courts and has equally stalled the judicial process. As usual, the state governments and the federal government have failed to respond positively to the demand. The meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2021 between government and the union to discuss the matter has been recklessly postponed indefinitely by government representatives without any reason. In response to government lackadaisical attitude, the judicial workers are embarking on a mass protest across the country as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on April 19, 2021. We call on the workers to organize more mass actions including mass meetings, protest, rallies, public sensitization, press conferences etc., as a means of sustaining the struggle, mobilizing public support and putting more pressure on the government.

“In as much as we support the demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary, we call on the workers and the union to demand adequate funding of the entire justice system and democratic management of funds by elected representatives of workers, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and communities. This is the only way funds will be efficiently utilized for the benefits of workers and ordinary people. We make this point because judiciary autonomy does not automatically guarantee adequate funding and efficient management of resources.

“Judiciary is not only underfunded, the entire justice system needs an overhaul and adequate funding. Courts and staff are grossly inadequate making justice slow, cumbersome and expensive; access to justice for workers, ordinary people and the poor is extremely poor because it is expensive and the laws are mostly skewed against the working masses and the poor. We currently have thousands of innocent ordinary Nigerians and those who commit petty crimes awaiting trial and languishing in prisons across the country and some of the cases spending more time than they would have spent if prosecuted timely; we also have overcrowded prisons and police stations that have subjected many people to conditions not befitting for animals; besides, cases/matters linger unavoidably in courts for several years at the expense of workers and the poor.

“Hence, we demand public funded legal aid to all Nigerians who could not afford the services of lawyers. Workers and the masses would have to struggle to change the unjust capitalist system and laws that put the working class and the poor in perpetual subjugation and bondage if justice will be meaningful.

“We call on Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), affiliated industrial unions and all pro -masses organisations to give active solidarity to the ongoing Judicial strike and mass protest.”

The post Financial autonomy: CDWR seeks overwhelming support for JUSUN appeared first on Frontpageng.

This threat contained is in a circular dated April 16 and signed by the Deputy Secretary of the Union, Mr P. Nnamani.

JUSUN on April 6, commenced a nationwide industrial action, calling for implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.

While restating that the strike would continue following failure by government to meet its demands, the union urged its members to remain resolute in spite of pressures.

The circular reads in part: “Further be informed that following an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of JUSUN on the April 15, 2021, it is agreed that the union will organise a peaceful protest in the Federal Capital, which will be replicated in the 36 state capitals in furtherance of our agitations, from April 19, 2021.

“Please note that if in case there are any invitations for negotiations/talks, you should promptly inform the National Headquarters for guidelines and representations to avoid disorder in presentation of facts.”

Source: NAN

The post JUSUN sets date for nationwide protest appeared first on Frontpageng.

Members of the union were seen at the court premises as early as 6.30 a.m. on Tuesday morning to ensure that no one entered the court premises.

A big padlock was used to lock the entrance to the court from outside to ensure that no one gained access.

Members of the union were seen sitting in front of the court entrance.

Upon enquiry, they simply said: “We are on strike.”

Litigants trying to gain entrance were turned away while security personnel attached to the court were seen loitering around.

JUSUN said the strike was to press home their demand for the financial autonomy of the judiciary.

A statement by JUSUN president, Mr Marwan Adamu, said all courts and other departments would be shut until and unless the government did the needful.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on May 22, 2020, signed into law an Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.

The Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory for all states to include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

The order also mandates the accountant-general of the federation to deduct from source amount due to the state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state, for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

Source: NAN

The post JUSUN locks out staff, lawyers, litigants from Federal High Court appeared first on Frontpageng.