JUSUN Strike Hits Hard On Litigants, Counsels In Rivers

As the strike action
embarked on by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Rivers State branch, entered its four day today, over what the union considered insecurity of its members, the industrial action is now taking hard toll on litigants, counsels and other persons seeking judicial services at the court complex.
Speaking to The Tide, the union chairman, Comrade Sokari George, said the union declared the industrial action in order to protect its members from any unwholesome situation.
Sokari said as union leaders, they have the sacred responsibility to protect their members from harm in whatever circumstances.
He said the union members need proper security arrangement to be put in place by the government to protect them in view of the recent attack that occurred at the Ahoada High Court complex.
He debunked the allegation that the union is on strike over the National Judicial council (NJC’s) detective that Justice Daisy Okocha should assume duty as the administrative judge of the state.
The Jusun Chairman said the union members are not on strike over the issue of Acting Chief Judge but threat to the security of lives of its members.
He maintained that the union is neutral in the face-off in the state judiciary.
However, investigation by The Tide has revealed that the strike action had affected legal practitioners and litigants seriously as cases scheduled for the past three days could not be heard.
Speaking to The Tide one of the senior lawyers who pleaded anonymity said the strike action was uncalled for, stressing that JUSUN should call off the strike and seek available ways of partnering with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to put proper security arrangements in place within the court complex.
He said that the strike action  is jeopardising the liberty of some awaiting trial persons in the prison and police cells in the state.
He urged the leadership of the union to dialogue with the various stakeholders in the justice administration on the best way to handle the threat of insecurity.
The Tide reliably learnt that the leadership of the Port Harcourt branch of the NBA has summoned an emergency meeting of lawyers within the branch for today (Friday) at the Unity Hall of the Port Harcourt Club to discuss the strike action embarked upon by members of JUSUN and find ways of resolving it.

Stories  by Philip Okparaji