A crisis is brewing within the federal judiciary as workers, particularly those at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), threaten to go on strike due to poor working conditions and unfulfilled welfare promises. Workers have issued a warning to the federal government, citing several unresolved issues, including the non-implementation of salary increases and other welfare packages.
Two letters, seen in Benin City, were addressed to the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court in Abuja and the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) at the Customary Court of Appeal. These letters highlight the workers’ grievances, including the non-payment of a 25-35% salary increase, a N35,000 wage award, and the N70,000 minimum wage at NICN.
At the NICN in Benin City, the situation is particularly dire. Workers have not received the promised wage increases or the minimum wage, with many lamenting receiving only “peanuts” as Christmas bonuses. One worker, speaking anonymously, explained that the government had yet to implement the minimum wage for NICN staff, and their DTA for a recent promotion examination remained unpaid. The worker also criticized the lack of union activity at the national level, with JUSUN’s efforts mainly focused on state-level issues, leaving federal workers’ concerns largely ignored.
