By John Dike, Osogbo
The crisis rocking the Osun State Judiciary deepened on Monday as the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) leadership boycotted a peace meeting convened by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) with the State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, aimed at resolving their six-week-old strike.
JUSUN, which has kept courtrooms across the state under lock and key since September 2025, is demanding urgent action on staff welfare and the implementation of the 2024/2025 promotion exercise.
The NBA, through its Osogbo Branch Chairman, Barr. Maruf Adediran, confirmed in a statement that the union leaders failed to attend the parley, which had the Chief Judge, four other judges, and senior members of the Bar in attendance.
According to Adediran, the meeting was designed to directly engage JUSUN on its grievances and explore pathways to peace. However, the union withdrew, alleging threats. Notwithstanding JUSUN’s absence, the meeting proceeded as scheduled.
He added that the Chief Judge had directed the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to convene a meeting on Tuesday to deliberate on JUSUN’s demands and take necessary steps toward resolving the issues precipitating the strike.
However, JUSUN Chairman, Comrade Idris Adeniran, said their decision to boycott the meeting was based on alleged threats of arrest made by a close associate of the Chief Judge.
Adeniran said, “The presence of a significant number of security personnel at the meeting venue underscores the seriousness of the threat and raises concerns about the safety and security of our members.”
He also accused the NBA of attempting to use the JSC meeting as propaganda to undermine their struggle, stressing, “We reject any attempt to use the JSC meeting as a tool to force JUSUN to resume work without a satisfactory agreement.”
It will be recalled that the crisis in the Osun State Judiciary began in September 2025 when JUSUN declared an indefinite strike over issues bordering on workers’ welfare, delayed promotions, and alleged high-handedness by the Chief Judge.
The strike, now in its sixth week, has paralyzed judicial activities across the state, leaving litigants stranded and delaying court proceedings. Attempts by the state government and stakeholders, including the NBA and civil society groups, to broker peace have so far yielded no tangible results.
JUSUN insists that the Chief Judge must address long-standing grievances, including non-payment of allowances and alleged disregard for the decisions of the JSC. The Chief Judge, however, maintains that due process is being followed in addressing staff concerns.
The lingering standoff continues to generate tension within the judicial sector, raising concerns over access to justice, administrative bottlenecks, and the rule of law in Osun State
