Activities did not commence fully on Monday at the Federal High Court in Lagos after the suspension of the three-week old strike by Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that JUSUN embarked on nationwide industrial action on January 2 to press for obedience of a court order that affirmed financial autonomy of states’ judiciary.
JUSUN called off the strike on Sunday after a meeting at the Supreme Court, Abuja, but suspension only affected Federal High Courts, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the National Industrial Court.
At the Federal High Court in Lagos, some of the courts’ registrars were seen at their various desks waiting for the commencement of court proceedings.
The Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, Bello Okandeji, in an interview with the NAN confirmed the resumption of activities in the court.
Okandeji, however, added that at the moment, only skeletal works were going on in preparation for full court sittings.
Some lawyers at the court premises, who spoke with NAN, expressed relief at the suspension of the industrial action in the federal courts and appealed that same be extended to state high courts.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Femi Adedayo, described the suspension as a big relief for lawyers.
Adedayo said: “The news of the suspension came to me as a big relief and that is why I hurriedly came down to court today to file some processes.
“I sincerely hope the state high courts will also be re-opened as soon as possible, so that lawyers can commence full activities.”
Another lawyer, Nosa Osifo, said that the strike had caused some hardship on him and his household.
Osifo also urged the union to ensure the re-opening of the state high courts and the magistrates’ courts.
He said: “Anyway, it is a good step that the federal courts have resumed, because I hate to recall what this strike had done to my pocket.
“But it is not enough to re-open the federal courts.
“Most lawyers have the bulk of their matters at the magistrates’ courts.
“So, I urge the union to also suspend the strike in courts in the states.”