The major gates to the Ikeja High Court have been shut due to the nationwide industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gates were shut on Monday by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Ikeja branch.
NAN correspondents, who monitored the development in Lagos, observed that lawyers and litigants were turned back from entering the court premises.
The strike enforcers urged those who tried to gain entrance into the court premises to comply with the order.
The courts were shut in strict compliance with JUSUN’s order.
It would be recalled that JUSUN on 1 June notified its members on mobilisation for the indefinite nationwide industrial action due to failure to reach a decision on the new minimum wage.
The Acting General Secretary of JUSUN M.J. Akwashiki said in a statement that the strike action would start at midnight on Sunday.
Mr Akwashiki said that all branches of the unions were expected to ensure strict compliance to the directive.
“All vice presidents of our great unions are to monitor their respective zones to ensure compliance with total shutdown of all courts and judicial institutes across Nigeria.
“The nationwide strike is to ensure the government agrees on a new national minimum wage and subsequently passes it into law.
“And to reverse the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law to N225/kwh back to N66/kwh,” he said.
Also, the gates of the Federal High Court Lagos was shut following the strike. There was also absence of various staff buses conveying staff to courts.
NAN gathered that an instruction had been issued earlier directing all staff buses to be put on hold due to the strike.
Meanwhile, some court officials who came to court were forced to return home in compliance with the industrial action.
In the same vein, a NAN correspondent who visited the Ojo Magistrates’ Court, reports that there was no activity at the court.
NAN correspondent observed that the gate of the courthouse was closed .It was gathered that the court rooms would remain locked until further notice.
(NAN)