The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Tuesday in Abuja, locked out staff members, lawyers, litigants and the general public from the Federal High Court complex in Maitama.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the Union were seen at the court premises as early as 6.30 am on Tuesday morning to ensure that no one entered the court premises.

A big padlock was used to lock the entrance to the court from the outside to ensure that no one gained access.

Members of the union were seen sitting in front of the court entrance, they, however, refused to speak to NAN and only said “we are on strike.”

Litigants trying to gain entrance were turned away while security personnel attached to the court were seen loitering around.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JUSUN said the strike is to press home their demand for the financial autonomy of the judiciary.

A statement by JUSUN President, Mr Marwan Adamu, said all courts and other departments would be shut until and unless the government does the needful.

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had on May 22, 2020, signed into law an Executive Order granting financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.

Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory for all states to include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

The order also mandates the accountant-general of the federation to deduct from source amount due to the state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state, for states that refuse to grant such autonomy. (NAN)

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