The workers, under the aegis of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, had ordered a one-day strike to register their displeasure with the retiring CJ.
The workers, who locked the two main entrances to the High Court premises and all the court rooms as early as 7am, distributed leaflets warning staff of the various offices to steer clear of the premises throughout the day.
Many lawyers and litigants, who were at the court for different purposes, were locked out.
A fetish object was also placed in front of the gate, to scare both court workers and visitors.
It took the intervention of regular and riot policemen from the state police command to open the gate around 10am. They also dismantled the fetish object.
The Public Relations Officer in charge of the state command, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, confirmed to our correspondent that policemen had to forcefully open gates of the courts to gain access to the premises before they could carry out the parade in honour of the retired CJ.
Adeniran said, “The parade was slated for today (Tuesday) and dignitaries from within and outside the state had started arriving. We have to go inside so that we could carry out our functions.”
Speaking with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Tuesday, the Chairman of the state branch of JUSUN, Mr. Femi Ogunade, said their action was in protest of Olateru-Olagbegi’s alleged unfriendly tendencies towards them while in office.
Ogunade said the retired CJ should not expect them to sing her praises when she did not do anything to improve their welfare after she became the CJ in 2003.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010273225571
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