On Friday, 12th December, 2025, the Chief Judge of Kogi State issued a notice directing Judiciary workers in Kogi State who are on strike to resume work on Monday, 15th December, 2025, of face “No work no pay” sanction.
The notice which was circulated on several social media platforms in Kogi State, was signed by the Chief Registrar, Ibrahim Jubril Oladimeji, Esq.
Reacting to this notice, S. O. Akobe, Esq. described the directive of the Chief Judge as an unbridled and most unfortunate manifestation of unfair labour practice.
“One wonders how the Chief Judge would resort to this unimpressive approach. The notice violates ILO conventions on fair labour practice which the Chief Judge of Kogi State knows better. Obedience is not secured by command but by reaching out and appealing to those aggrieved in every situation. It is inimical to force judiciary workers who are legitimately exercising their rights by way of industrial action, to return to work without meeting their demands.
“The directive of the Chief Judge has visibly confirmed my position that ‘the problem of the judiciary is the judiciary itself’. I have no difficulty in concluding that His Lordship seriously erred in this one. This is the time for the NBA to stand in solidarity with the Judiciary staff in Kogi State.
“We will have no moral right to complain about corruption in our courts if we don’t join hands to resist a silenced judiciary in Kogi State. I call on Kogi lawyers to boycott all courts in Kogi State in defence of judiciary integrity even if the Judiciary staff are forced to resume work based on the “command” of Kogi Chief Judge”, the lawyer stated.
