FCT High Court shut as judiciary workers begin strike over unresolved demands

In compliance with the strike action declared by the national headquarters of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, chapter of the union today shut down courts in the FCT to press home their demands.

The national headquarters of the union had issued a circular, signed by its acting Secretary, M.J. Akwashiki, dated 30 May, addressed to all chapter chairmen, directing all federal chapters to stay at home effective from 1 June.

The circular stated that the directive followed unfruitful meetings held “at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, who was conciliating on our matter.”

“We believe that, as directed by the organs of the union—the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) of our great union—the action will continue until further notice,” the circular stated in part.

Following this directive, the FCT High Court chapter of the union, in a circular dated 31 May, instructed its members to stay at home and lock all courts in the territory.

“The JUSUN FCT High Court Chapter directs all its members to withdraw their services and remain at home due to the Federal Government’s failure to release funds for the implementation of the seventy thousand naira (₦70,000) minimum wage, five months’ arrears of wage award, and the payment of a 25/35% increment for the consolidated public service salary structure.

“The leadership of the JUSUN FCT High Court Chapter has declared that, with effect from Monday, 2 June 2025, all courts within the FCT High Court jurisdiction must be locked, and staff are requested to remain at home until further notice,” it stated.

Following the withdrawal of the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Commission (NJC) chapters of the union, the FCT High Court chapter released another circular addressed to its members late on Sunday night, insisting that the strike action would proceed.

According to the circular, “This is to make it categorically clear: the industrial action slated to commence tomorrow, Monday, 2 June 2025, remains firmly in place.

“While we acknowledge that some chapters have chosen to pull out or distance themselves from the strike, let it be known that this does not invalidate the collective struggle to which we have committed ourselves.

“This is a time for courage, resolve, and unity.

“Our demands remain legitimate, our cause remains just, and our action remains necessary,” the chapter stated.

As a result, all branches of the FCT High Court were shut, while lawyers and litigants with cases scheduled for today were unable to access the courts.

Speaking with journalists at the Maitama, Abuja, headquarters of the FCT High Court, the JUSUN chapter chairman, Comrade Abdulrazaq Yusuf, confirmed that members locked the courts in compliance with the union’s directive on the strike.

According to him: “We have commenced the industrial action today, 2 June 2025, over the non-implementation of the national minimum wage signed by the President in 2024.

“Apart from that, there are wage awards—arrears of wage awards—that Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria members have not received.

“We also have a 25 and 35 percent increment on the consolidated public salary structures. We, as judiciary members, are part of that salary structure, yet we have not received the increment. We have laid complaints to various concerned organs,” he said.

He explained that the Minister of Labour and Employment had intervened in an attempt to resolve the contentious issues amicably, but no positive outcome had been achieved from the Minister’s intervention.

According to Comrade Yusuf, the minister met with parties, including JUSUN, NJC, the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Ministry of Finance and Budget, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on 28 May, but no resolution was reached.

“We have not been able to resolve it. All we have been hearing is that they are in the process of paying this money.

“We wrote to all heads of courts, including the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, who intervened three months ago. However, her intervention has so far not yielded any results,” he said.

Yusuf further stated that the JUSUN leadership, led by the National President, Comrade Marwan Mustapha, met with the Department of State Services (DSS) on Sunday night in an attempt to prevent the industrial action and ensure that workers’ demands were met.

However, as at the commencement of the strike today, their funds had not been released.

The chairman emphasised that despite the withdrawal of the Supreme Court and NJC chapters of the union from the industrial action, all other branches, including the Federal High Court, were fully involved in the strike.

He confirmed that all high courts, magistrates’ courts, and the Shari’a Court of Appeal in the FCT were shut down this morning in total compliance with the union’s directive.

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