The Nigerian Bar Association, Gombe State branch, is on a one-week protest strike of all court proceedings across the state.
The action, which began on Monday, aims to protest what it described as the persistent neglect of judges and judicial workers’ welfare.
The action, expected to last until Sunday, June 6, aims to also draw attention to the deteriorating state of the judiciary and advocate for urgent government intervention to revamp the system.
Addressing journalists in Gombe, the NBA Chairman in the state, Barrister Benjamin Sati, decried the working conditions of judicial officers, describing the judiciary in Gombe as “structurally weak and functionally incapacitated.”
According to him, “Some of our judges still operate with vehicles procured as far back as 2010. It’s even worse for magistrates.
Many commute to courts on commercial motorcycles or public buses, sometimes alongside the very suspects they are prosecuting or sentencing.”
He criticised the imbalance in government priorities, pointing out that while the executive and legislative officers are furnished with new official vehicles every four years, judges and magistrates are left to struggle.
“This speaks volumes about the disregard for the third arm of government,” Sati said.
The NBA chairman stressed that the boycott was not designed to paralyse the justice system but to raise the alarm over growing concerns about the erosion of judicial independence and integrity.
“We are compelled to take this action not out of defiance, but in defence of the rule of law. A judiciary reduced to a rubber stamp cannot serve justice,” Sati pointed out.
The NBA boss equally lamented the lack of access to the Gombe State Governor, despite several attempts to seek dialogue and formally present the association’s concerns.
“We have made multiple efforts to secure an audience with the Governor, all unsuccessful. That in itself is telling,” he said.
He also underscored the broader implications of poor judicial welfare, warning that underfunding the judiciary increases the risk of compromise.
“A magistrate or high court judge holds the authority to either detain or release a citizen. If those vested with such powers are not properly supported, we’re inviting corruption into the justice process,” Sati cautioned.
While acknowledging the government’s recent effort to construct a new high court complex, which he praised as one of the most modern in the country, the lawyer insisted that physical infrastructure alone can not fix a failing system.
“We commend the high court project, but it doesn’t make up for the deplorable welfare conditions under which our judicial officers currently operate,” he insisted.
As at press time, neither the Gombe State Ministry of Justice nor the office of the Chief Judge had responded to the development. When contacted, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Zubairu Umar, via the office of the Solicitor-General, Muhammad Ismail, simply said, “I don’t want to join issues with the NBA.”