By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The court workers who resumed work at Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos were on Friday chased out of the premises by officials of the National Task Force of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
The workers resumed partial work following a memo from the JUSUN chairman of Lagos branch, stating that courts would operate on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays while remain shut on Mondays and Tuesdays in compliance with JUSUN’s nationwide strike which began on April 6.
However, the workers were asked by JUSUN unionists to suspend court activities and vacate the premises.
Meanwhile, some staff of the court were seen hanging around the court premises while others left for their homes.
According to one of the workers who refused to disclose his name, “the courts were initially opened on Thursday but the magistrates did not show up; today again in the morning we resumed activities but we were told to halt all activities and vacate the premises and wait for further instructions.
“Although we have been coming every other day, we always hang around because they deny us access to the court premises; hopefully the strike yields a positive result soonest, we are tired of being idle,” he said.
Recall that the Lagos State chapter of JUSUN directed members to report to work every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
This was contained in a memo of April 22 as directed by the Chairman, Lagos State chapter of JUSUN, Mr Kehinde Shobowale, due to the claim that the state had attained 75 percent financial autonomy.
JUSUN, however, reportedly vowed to re-seal all courts in Lagos State following information that the state chapter had partially resumed operation.
