JUSUN’s Indefinite Strike: An Outrage On The Current Insecurity In Nigeria!

By Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.

The indefinite strike action declared by the Judiciary Staff
Union of Nigeria- herein after referred to as JUSUN- has lasted for
over eight weeks and it is still counting! The JUSUN had embarked
on the strike action to compel financial autonomy of the judiciary
on the Governors of States that have not complied with the said
autonomy. There are therefore those persons who have supported the
strike action and to them, the strike action is remains a just
cause to protect democracy as it is the right action regardless of
the consequences (as to them it is a ‘fight to finish’
once and for all battle, even if the national security of Nigeria
is affected!) while there are others who criticize
the strike action for its negative consequences and or impacts on
the administration of justice, litigants and lawyers and to these
persons, the strike action constitutes impediments to justice and
progress of the nation. This paper is of the firm view that the
strike action, apart from the facts that it constitutes impediments
to the progress of the nation and administration of justice and
greatly affects the litigants and lawyers, it has provoked the
current insecurity in Nigeria, hence, the topic of this paper.

Since the commencement of the JUSUN’s strike action, there has
been seemingly uncontrolled insecurity all across Nigeria. Many
lives have been lost. Common man in the society is now resorting to
self-help and jungle justice. I hope we would be able to curb the
degeneration of this insecurity even after the strike action as
people have been shown the most effective way of seeking justice
without any delay! Citizens are now made to understand why they
need not obey or approach court of law. In fact, many litigants
might end up instructing their counsel to discontinue their various
suits in courts and or abandon the court of law to seek jungle
justice or self-help! JUSUN is determined now (in association with
the Nigerian Bar Association-herein after referred to as the NBA
(with due respect to them)) to ruin this country- either on
sentiments, ethnicity, politics or other ulterior motives! It is
very unfortunate that the NBA is not fighting for the interests of
its own members and to understand their agonies and worries rather
has continued to admonish a continuous forbearance (on their part)
of the negative impacts of the strike on them and their families! I
just hope that the insecurity rising in almost all the parts of
Nigeria would not consume everyone, judges, JUSUN, lawyers, etc.
(God forbid!), to the extent that the innocent ones would have to
pay for the mistakes and blind leadership roles of JUSUN and the
NBA! It is very unfortunate! My enquiry is that ‘of
what benefits would be the roles of JUSUN when litigants are no
more interested to approach the court of law’?! All
the struggles would be for no one’s benefits at the end of the day!
JUSUN in my mind is inviting war that it does not know its end! The
insecurity is consuming almost everyone: at home; on the road; and
almost everywhere! Assassination, banditry, kidnapping, armed
robbery, rape, etc., are now the reigns of the day! The security
and law enforcement agencies of government require courts of law to
carry out their functions one way or the other but JUSUN has closed
courts and has thereby angered the insecurity in Nigeria!

I would candidly advise JUSUN and its learned comrades
‘the national leadership of the NBA’ to think twice and
reason before the insecurity gets out of hands! ‘Anarchy’ is
overtaking ‘justice’ currently! JUSUN should consider
the plight of the common man, the less privileged, the vulnerable,
etc., and call off this strike immediately! There has been no way
this strike action has affected the executive arm of government
against whom JUSUN has evoked the strike action rather, litigants,
lawyers and common man become the victims innocently! A word is
enough for the wise!

Finally, I therefore urge and call on the general public to
prevail upon JUSUN to immediately suspend the strike action now and
not later as this call is of public concerns! Injustice to one is
said to be an injustice to all! When a group of persons become just
like a ‘stray-dog’ or a ‘stray-bullet’ going
astray, it is very important to assist such persons
by curbing it and or restraining it from any further going astray!
Furthermore, if the NBA national leadership knows what its
leadership roles even under its own constitution are, it would
protect the interests of its own members (first before others and
in this case, JUSUN)! Therefore, it is my final resolution that
this ongoing JUSUN’s strike has constituted impediments, outrage on
the current insecurity in Nigeria and intolerable anymore hence, it
should immediately be called off! Furthermore, I think the
government would see the reason why it ought to use its powers to
restrict the use of strike action by various unions- JUSUN
inclusive- which the unions have been using or could use to the
detriment of the ‘national security’!

Justice for all!

Email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com^[1]

By Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.

The indefinite strike action declared by the Judiciary Staff
Union of Nigeria- herein after referred to as JUSUN- has lasted for
over eight weeks and it is still counting! The JUSUN had embarked
on the strike action to compel financial autonomy of the judiciary
on the Governors of States that have not complied with the said
autonomy. There are therefore those persons who have supported the
strike action and to them, the strike action is remains a just
cause to protect democracy as it is the right action regardless of
the consequences (as to them it is a ‘fight to finish’
once and for all battle, even if the national security of Nigeria
is affected!) while there are others who criticize
the strike action for its negative consequences and or impacts on
the administration of justice, litigants and lawyers and to these
persons, the strike action constitutes impediments to justice and
progress of the nation. This paper is of the firm view that the
strike action, apart from the facts that it constitutes impediments
to the progress of the nation and administration of justice and
greatly affects the litigants and lawyers, it has provoked the
current insecurity in Nigeria, hence, the topic of this paper.

Since the commencement of the JUSUN’s strike action, there has
been seemingly uncontrolled insecurity all across Nigeria. Many
lives have been lost. Common man in the society is now resorting to
self-help and jungle justice. I hope we would be able to curb the
degeneration of this insecurity even after the strike action as
people have been shown the most effective way of seeking justice
without any delay! Citizens are now made to understand why they
need not obey or approach court of law. In fact, many litigants
might end up instructing their counsel to discontinue their various
suits in courts and or abandon the court of law to seek jungle
justice or self-help! JUSUN is determined now (in association with
the Nigerian Bar Association-herein after referred to as the NBA
(with due respect to them)) to ruin this country- either on
sentiments, ethnicity, politics or other ulterior motives! It is
very unfortunate that the NBA is not fighting for the interests of
its own members and to understand their agonies and worries rather
has continued to admonish a continuous forbearance (on their part)
of the negative impacts of the strike on them and their families! I
just hope that the insecurity rising in almost all the parts of
Nigeria would not consume everyone, judges, JUSUN, lawyers, etc.
(God forbid!), to the extent that the innocent ones would have to
pay for the mistakes and blind leadership roles of JUSUN and the
NBA! It is very unfortunate! My enquiry is that ‘of
what benefits would be the roles of JUSUN when litigants are no
more interested to approach the court of law’?! All
the struggles would be for no one’s benefits at the end of the day!
JUSUN in my mind is inviting war that it does not know its end! The
insecurity is consuming almost everyone: at home; on the road; and
almost everywhere! Assassination, banditry, kidnapping, armed
robbery, rape, etc., are now the reigns of the day! The security
and law enforcement agencies of government require courts of law to
carry out their functions one way or the other but JUSUN has closed
courts and has thereby angered the insecurity in Nigeria!

I would candidly advise JUSUN and its learned comrades
‘the national leadership of the NBA’ to think twice and
reason before the insecurity gets out of hands! ‘Anarchy’ is
overtaking ‘justice’ currently! JUSUN should consider
the plight of the common man, the less privileged, the vulnerable,
etc., and call off this strike immediately! There has been no way
this strike action has affected the executive arm of government
against whom JUSUN has evoked the strike action rather, litigants,
lawyers and common man become the victims innocently! A word is
enough for the wise!

Finally, I therefore urge and call on the general public to
prevail upon JUSUN to immediately suspend the strike action now and
not later as this call is of public concerns! Injustice to one is
said to be an injustice to all! When a group of persons become just
like a ‘stray-dog’ or a ‘stray-bullet’ going
astray, it is very important to assist such persons
by curbing it and or restraining it from any further going astray!
Furthermore, if the NBA national leadership knows what its
leadership roles even under its own constitution are, it would
protect the interests of its own members (first before others and
in this case, JUSUN)! Therefore, it is my final resolution that
this ongoing JUSUN’s strike has constituted impediments, outrage on
the current insecurity in Nigeria and intolerable anymore hence, it
should immediately be called off! Furthermore, I think the
government would see the reason why it ought to use its powers to
restrict the use of strike action by various unions- JUSUN
inclusive- which the unions have been using or could use to the
detriment of the ‘national security’!

Justice for all!

Email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com^[1]