The major gates to the Ikeja High Court have been shut due to the nationwide industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The gates were shut on Monday by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Ikeja branch.
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.
JUSUN, on June 1, notified its members of mobilisation for the indefinite nationwide industrial action due to the inconclusive decision on the new minimum wage.
The acting general secretary of JUSUN, M.J. Akwashiki, in a press statement, said the strike action would start at midnight on Sunday.
Mr Akwashiki said all branches of the unions were expected to ensure strict compliance with the directive.
“All vice presidents of our great unions are to monitor their respective zones to ensure compliance with the 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 were shut following the strike. There was an absence of various staff buses conveying staff to courts.
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.
Similarly, a correspondent who visited the Ojo Magistrates’ Court reports that there was no activity at the court. The gate of the courthouse was closed.
It was gathered that the courtrooms would remain locked until further notice.