Court Blasts: Judiciary Workers Flay JUSUN Leadership

Judiciary workers in Rivers State are yet to resume work following explosions that rocked three High Court complexes in the state on the eve of their resumption of work after nearly eight months of strike.
The Tide learnt that the explosions rocked the Degema, Isiokpo and Port Harcourt High Courts early hours of Monday, just as the workers were preparing to return to work.
The workers, under the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), had eight months ago, embarked on an indefinite strike action to, among other things, demand for improved security at their work places as well as the immediate resolution of the leadership tussle at the state judiciary over the appointment of a Chief Judge, which has become a subject of litigation.
The national leadership of JUSUN had on Saturday announced the suspension of the strike action, and directed members in the state judiciary to resume duty last Monday.
It also urged relevant stakeholders in the state Judiciary crisis to ensure that all the nagging issues were addressed.
Some of the workers, who spoke to The Tide on the condition of anonymity, condemned the decision by the state leadership of JUSUN led by Comrade Sokari George to suspend the strike action without ensuring the safety of workers, describing such as an act of insensitivity and a betrayal of the mandate given to the executive.
The workers averred that the leadership of the union failed to consider the security of members as paramount, and accused them of compromising their mandate.
Our correspondent, who visited the affected Degema, Isiokpo and Port Harcourt courts, reports that the three court premises were deserted, and under lock and key, adding that only policemen and security personnel were seen in the court premises.
According to a security staff, who spoke to The Tide on condition of anonymity, the hoodlums stormed the courts with explosives, and detonated them, adding that areas affected are the NBA temporary office and the new magistrate courts.
Reacting to the incident, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the bombing of three high courts under the state Judiciary by unknown gunmen in the early hours of last Monday.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Muhammad, in a statement, said that the blasts were coordinated attacks executed by unknown gunmen across three courts in the state Judiciary.
Muhammad, however, said no life was lost but stated that files and some vital documents, including buildings, were destroyed during the blasts.
He further disclosed that the police have condoned off the area and taken over the security in the affected courts.
Muhammad averred that the police were on the trail of the perpetrators of the act, and reiterated the determination of the command to ensure the protection of life and property in the state.

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