- As Judiciary Staff Insist On Improved Welfare
- Awaiting Trials Suffer, As Strike Enters 2nd Month
- APC Blames Adeleke Over Crisis
The ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Osun Chapter of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), has grounded court activities in the last six weeks with no hope in sight for the suspension of the strike anytime soon.
OSUN DEFENDER had earlier reported that Osun JUSUN embarked on an indefinite strike on September 19, 2025, to demand timely 2024 and 2025 promotions as well as improved welfare for its members.
The union blamed the Chief Judge of Osun state, Justice Adepele Ojo for her ‘egregious display of indifference to the ongoing strike.
Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that the strike has been having a gross effect on awaiting trials across Correctional Centres in the state.
The Spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Osun Command, ASC Joel Oyedokun while speaking with the medium in a telephone interview stated that many awaiting trials are trapped in the prison especially suspects with minor offences.
“We have been trying our best but just that we could not take awaiting trials to court especially those with minor offences for bail. We hope the court will resume as soon as possible. We are appealing to the appropriate quarters,” Oyedokun posited.
OSUN DEFENDER also gathered that the police have been transferring cases to the Federal High Court, Osogbo for determination due to the strike.
Commenting on the development, a legal practitioner in the state, Oladipupo Olatunbosun Esq. appealed to the state government to intervene in the ongoing strike to avoid perversion of justice.
Olatunbosun said, “The situation in Osun at the moment has been disheartening. Lately, I have been going from the police station to solicit for bail of suspects or we transfer it to the Federal High Court. Some cases are also been settled at the police station”.
Earlier, the Osun State Command moved for the establishment of a mobile court to trial offenders in the state due to the strike.
Spokesperson for the command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed this in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER recently.
Ojelabi noted that the state of police stations across the state still remains the same aside from the state Criminal Investigative Department (CID).
According to him, suspects with minor offences are been given administrative bails while those with capital offences are been transferred to the state CID, adding that the legal department of the state command is currently liaising with the Attorney General and Registrar of the High Court to establish a mobile court to trial suspects pending the resumption of the judicial workers.
“The fact remains that the police stations are still in the same state except state CID. We have directed all DPOs to grant administrative bails to suspects with minor offences while they transfer those with capital offences to the state command. Even some of the capital offences are settled in most cases within families.
“Presently the legal department of the command is trying to liaise with the Attorney General of the state and Registrar of the High Court for the establishment of a mobile court to trial suspects as it was done during COVID19 lockdown. The arrangement should be concluded between this by next week if the JUSUN strike persists,” Ojelabi stated
The Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Legal Matters, Nurudeen Kareem Esq. while responding to enquiry made by OSUN DEFENDER regarding the strike promised to get back. But he is yet to provide latest information on the development as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the lingering strike has attracted strong reactions as both the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the union exchanged statements on Wednesday over the state of the judiciary.
In a press statement signed by the Osun State APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the opposition party criticised the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke for the collapse of the judiciary in the state.
The APC said the prolonged strike represented the epitome of failure of the present government, alleging that the absence of judicial activities for more than a month amounted to a violation of citizens’ rights.
According to the statement, “The absence of exercise of judicial powers in Osun State for the past 41 days signifies anarchy and a collective breach of citizens’ fundamental rights to have their affairs decided by a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The party maintained that the situation had left the judiciary in a state of paralysis, affecting access to justice and inflicting hardship on legal practitioners and citizens whose cases remained pending before the courts.
It further stated, “It is an act of governmental irresponsibility for any state executive to look away while Sections 6 and 230 of the 1999 Constitution are being fragrantly breached without any plan to end it in sight.”
The APC accused the Adeleke-led administration of being unconcerned about the constitutional and security implications of the strike, alleging that lawlessness and disorder had taken root as a result.
The statement also lamented that suspects were languishing in police cells and correctional facilities without trial due to the total shutdown of court operations across the state.
Earlier, the Osun State Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, responded to the APC’s allegations, describing the opposition’s comments as political opportunism and hypocrisy.
In its own statement signed by Comrade Idris Adedayo Adeniran, the union said the strike was not politically motivated but a legitimate call for justice, fair treatment, and improved welfare of judicial staff.
Adeniran stated, “The APC’s criticism of the Adeleke-led government is rich, given their own failure to deliver in Osun State. The JUSUN strike is a desperate cry for attention to our legitimate demands, including the 2024 and 2025 promotions and long-standing welfare issues.”
The JUSUN chairman accused the opposition party of exaggerating the situation and urged it to engage the judiciary authorities directly rather than politicising workers’ grievances.
He added, “We challenge the APC to provide evidence of any government that has done more for the judiciary in Osun State. Instead of politicising the issue, the APC should urge the honourable Chief Judge to engage with us and address our demands.”
Adeniran reaffirmed the union’s commitment to peaceful dialogue and urged members of the public to support their cause for fairness and improved working conditions within the state’s judiciary.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
