JUST IN: NEC May Call Off JUSUN Strike Today As Judiciary Workers Claim ‘They Have Collected Money’

The National Executive Council of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) will be meeting today (Wednesday) over the union’s ongoing strike action, our correspondent has learnt.

But members of JUSUN (who refused to be named) told THE WHISTLER on Wednesday that the union’s NEC was allegedly compromising the strike action.

THE WHISTLER observed that the Federal High Court Maitama Abuja, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court were deserted with just a handful of JUSUN members and security operatives at the entrance.

The JUSUN strike which began on April 6 is aimed at compelling the federal and state governments to ensure judicial autonomy for the sector, amongst other demands.

But some of the workers claimed that judges and judicial workers were sabotaging JUSUN’s efforts, citing some judgements allegedly delivered by the Supreme Court and Appeal Court.

THE WHISTLER reports that on June 2, an Appeal Court judge gave a virtual court judgment which set aside an FCT High Court’s 3-year jail of an accused who pleaded guilty of benefitting from proceeds of crime.

Also, a source familiar with developments around the Federal High Court Maitama, Abuja, told our correspondent that while the judges have not been coming to court since the strike, some account officers do come around without the awareness of the JUSUN members.

“Some account staff usually come to do one or two things,” the source said.

Another JUSUN member alleged that there was compromise within the JUSUN executive, adding “they have collected money.”

But responding when THE WHISTLER sought his comment on the allegation, another official said: “The judgement at the Supreme court was based on special request from the head of Judiciary,…because the case was time bound.

“As for the Appeal Court, the judges are exploring the use of virtual judgement.

“Some of our members who enter the court are coming to process our salaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, our correspondent put a phone call to JUSUN’s National Treasurer, Jimoh Musa, regarding plans to call of the strike as claimed by some of its members.

Musa declined to confirm it, but acknowledged that the JUSUN NEC would be meeting today.

“We have a NEC meeting by 2pm today…we cannot say whether we are calling off or not…we have a meeting,” he said.

When asked about the allegations of compromise by JUSUN, Jimoh railed at our correspondent but did not deny such claims.

“Why can’t you come to the NEC..and you are insinuating compromise; compromise by who?,” he replied.