Awaiting Trial Inmates, Others Agonise As JUSUN Continues Strike Action In Osun

Awaiting inmates in Police and Correctional Centres have continued to languish endlessly following the ongoing strike action by the Osun State chapter of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

JUSUN who had been at loggerheads with the state Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, over alleged highhandedness, withholding of wardrobe allowances among others, had on November 22 embarked on indefinite strike following a clash with policemen.

Police had dispersed the judiciary workers to stem possible degeneration of a protest, caused by unexpected arrival of the CJ who had come to resume work on the fateful day.

Angered by the alleged attack on the workers by the police, JUSUN declared an indefinite strike action that subsisted till the time of filing this report, thereby paralysing activities in courts across the state.

Apart from suspects awaiting further court proceedings that are in correctional centers in Ilesa and Ile-Ife, others, especially suspects with serious criminal allegations could not be arraigned in court.

Besides, Osun residents who are in need of affidavits for various urgent purposes remained in dilemma and suffering in silence while official judicial transactions remain paralysed.

Mrs Sola Adebisi whose husband is currently in police custody since 6th of December following an alleged public disturbance, lamented the inability of the police to arraign her husband and secure bail.

Speaking with me in Ilesa, Adebisi said that since the family breadwinner remained in police custody, following what she described as a minor misunderstanding between her husband and a neighbour, things have proved difficult for the family.

Also, Habeeb Abiodun has remained financially incapacitated following his inability to secure affidavit, that would facilitate the operation of his bank account.

According to him, he could not withdraw money from his account following management directive that he should act in respect of the discrepancy in his account name.

But the leadership of JUSUN in the state has insisted that until their demands are attended to, the strike would continue.

The state chairman of JUSUN, Comrade Gbenga Eludare, who had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with the alleged slow handling of their petition by the National Judicial Council of Nigeria (NJC), said the strike will continue despite the affirmation of Justice Ojo as the Chief Judge of the State by NJC.