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On Monday, members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) shut down courts across Kaduna State as they began an indefinite strike.
The workers are demanding full financial autonomy for the arm of government and payment of their long-standing entitlements.
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The gates were locked when PREMIUM TIMES visited some courts in the state capital, including the Federal High Court, State High Court, Upper Sharia Court, and magistrates’ courts.
A few court staff were seen outside the Daura Road High Court premises, attending to clients seeking affidavits and other minor documentation.
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Background
The strike followed a notice issued by the union on 23 October, signed by its secretary, Nasiru Haruna, which declared an indefinite industrial action from 27 October.
According to JUSUN, the action was necessitated by the state government’s disregard for multiple letters and ultimatums, including one dated 1 September and another 9 October, demanding implementation of key agreements.
“All efforts to resolve these issues amicably have been ignored,” the union’s statement read. “We are left with no choice but to withdraw our services indefinitely until our legitimate demands are met.”
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Union’s Key Demands
The union listed the demands as follows:
1 – Implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
2 – Full implementation of consequential salary adjustments.
3 – Payment of withheld salaries for April and May 2021.
4 – Settlement of nine years’ arrears of a 20 per cent salary component from 2016 to date.
5 – Payment of outstanding leave and transport grants covering nine years.
6 – Disbursement of outfit allowances for judiciary workers across the state.
The union said it decided to embark on the strike at an emergency meeting held on 13 October, emphasising that “all judicial activities across Kaduna State are to be completely shut down until further notice.”
Voices from some staff
At the Kaduna High Court, senior court registrar Ƴan-Biyu Lawal told PREMIUM TIMES that the strike was inevitable.
“The government has pushed us to the wall. JUSUN has written letters, sent reminders, and pleaded, but nobody is listening. We are tired,” Mr Lawal said.
“This strike is not just for our welfare, but for the dignity and independence of the judiciary itself.”
Another worker, Fatima Ali, who has served in the court system for over 12 years, echoed the frustration.
“We have families to feed, children in school, and yet our legitimate allowances are being denied. Every year, we hear promises, but nothing changes,” she said.
“All we are asking for is fairness and respect for the rule of law. If the government can’t respect the constitution, who will?”
A younger staff member, Joseph Ibrahim, added that the strike was long overdue.
“It’s sad that the judiciary, which should be the last hope of the common man, is being treated like an afterthought,” he said. “We’ll stay off work until our demands are met ,no going back this time.”
A system under strain
For years, JUSUN has been at the forefront of advocating for judicial financial independence across Nigeria.
Although the federal government and some states have made partial progress, implementation remains inconsistent — particularly in Kaduna, where workers say judicial infrastructure and staff welfare have suffered neglect.
If the strike persists, litigants, lawyers, and detainees awaiting trial will bear the brunt of the disruption, with thousands of cases expected to be affected.
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