‘Death of Justice’: Ondo Judiciary Workers Slam Aiyedatiwa as Strike Shuts Courts Statewide

Judiciary operations in Ondo State have ground to a halt as magistrates, Grade ‘A’ customary court presidents, and members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) commence an indefinite strike over the state government’s alleged refusal to grant full financial autonomy to the judiciary, as mandated by the Constitution.

The industrial action has affected courts across all 18 local government areas. Striking workers accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration of intentionally depriving the judiciary of funds, plunging the state into what they described as a “constitutional crisis.”

In a strongly worded statement, JUSUN claimed that the executive arm has “extinguished the light of the law” in Ondo through delays in fund releases, reversal of approvals, and administrative bottlenecks, making it impossible for courts to operate effectively. The union targeted Governor Aiyedatiwa, Attorney-General Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and Finance Commissioner Omowumi Isaac, alleging that their policies undermine judicial independence.

“The Sunshine State is presently in constitutional freefall. In the ‘Sunshine State,’ the light of the law has been extinguished. This is an act of institutional vandalism by the Executive branch. By starving the judiciary of its constitutionally mandated financial autonomy, the state government has effectively declared war on its own citizens,” the statement read.

JUSUN described the officials as an “unholy trinity,” comparing Governor Aiyedatiwa to an “emperor” whose lavish personal spending mirrors Queen Marie Antoinette’s disregard for her people. Ajulo was labeled “the General executing his principal’s campaign of strangling the judicial arm,” while Isaac was described as “the tip of the spear, used by the executive to delay files, rescind approvals, and create the illusion of penury.”

The union warned that the court shutdown is already causing serious human and economic consequences. Hundreds of citizens remain in overcrowded police cells and correctional facilities in Akure and other areas, denied arraignment and bail. Survivors of gender-based violence and domestic abuse are left without legal protection.

“Without the shield of a sitting magistrate to issue protection orders, the state has effectively abandoned its most vulnerable to their abusers,” the union said.

They also cited “commercial paralysis,” with land disputes, real estate transactions, probate matters, and debt recoveries frozen, creating uncertainty that discourages investment. Thousands of lawyers reliant on active litigation are now facing financial hardship.

“A state without a functional court is not a democracy; it is a lawless land where might makes right. The executive boot on the neck of the Ondo State judiciary is a clear and present danger to the social contract. Every day the court gates remain padlocked is another day the rule of law is replaced by the rule of the mob,” JUSUN added.

The union demanded that the Aiyedatiwa administration immediately implement full financial autonomy for the judiciary, stressing that courts “are not a political bargaining chip but a prerequisite for the survival of Ondo State.”

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