NBA Gives Adeleke Seven Days to Reopen Osun Courts

The Nigerian Bar Association in Osun State has given Governor Ademola Adeleke a seven-day deadline to end the shutdown of courts across the state. The warning came on Monday in a letter sent to the governor and other top officials, after courts remained closed since September 22, 2025, due to a strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

The letter, dated December 8, was prepared and signed by the chairmen of all five NBA branches in the state. It was also forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Chief Judge of the state, the Attorney General, and the chairman of JUSUN.

The courts have been locked for more than two months after judiciary workers stopped work over unmet welfare demands and delayed promotions. The NBA said the long closure was putting justice delivery at risk and could push the state toward a breakdown of order if not resolved quickly.

The Association explained that it had already met with the Chief Judge, the Attorney General, and the leadership of JUSUN at different times to find a way forward. It noted that the process stalled when JUSUN refused to attend a joint meeting arranged by the NBA with the Chief Judge. Another obstacle, according to the letter, was the refusal of some members of the Judicial Service Commission appointed by the governor to attend meetings set up to address the workers’ complaints.

The NBA urged Adeleke to direct JUSUN to return to work within seven days. It also asked the governor to assure judiciary workers that their complaints would be handled through a proper process supervised by the Judicial Service Commission and the Bar. The Association further asked the governor to instruct all his nominees on the Commission to attend every meeting called by the Chief Judge so that pending issues can be settled without delay.

The strike began two days after JUSUN directed its members to stop reporting to work, following what it described as a lack of response from the state Judicial Service Commission regarding welfare matters and the implementation of the 2024/2025 promotion exercise. The union earlier accused the Commission of ignoring letters and failing to engage with its leadership.

The court shutdown has since stalled hearings, delayed cases, and left many residents without access to justice. The NBA warned that the situation cannot continue and called on the governor to take charge of the reconciliation process before the justice system deteriorates further.