Osun State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has described the ultimatum issued by a group, World Institute of Peace as laughable.
It also described the group as faceless and unidentified.
IgbereTV had earlier reported that the group during a press conference by its Executive Director, Lamina Omotoyosi on Monday in Osogbo issued a 7-day ultimatum to JUSUN and striking judiciary workers in the state to resume work or face legal action.
Lamina had insisted that the JUSUN strike had disrupted the judicial processes within the state courts and denied citizens their right to a fair and timely trial.
However, in a counter statement signed by the Osun JUSUN Secretary, Idris Adeniran, he said the claim by Omotoyosi that JUSUN National Secretariat was not supporting the strike was false.
While maintaining that judiciary workers in the state were concerned that WIP did not talk about the persecution of members of the union, Adeniran added that the union was resolute in fighting against the oppression and dehumanisation of its members to a standstill.
“The union would look into the plea of the state government for them to resume work as soon as the Union members acknowledged the payment of the 2023 wardrobe allowance and guaranteed that the oppression by the State Chief Judge would stop forthwith.
“It is laughable that the WIP never consulted widely before jumping into this issue as contained in their said letter. The Institute claimed that the National Body of our union had dissociated herself from our industrial action and which is a complete lie.
“For the records, the Osun State chapter of JUSUN has the backing of the national headquarters of the union on this industrial action and this can be confirmed by anyone who cares and not political jobbers like WIP.
“It is also a matter of concern to us to note that the self-acclaimed human rights organization was not aware of the persecution of our members but now suddenly turned to be holier than the Pope.
“While we sympathize with all the people who have one thing or the other to do with the courts, especially lawyers and litigants, we wish to state that the Union is resolute to fight this battle of oppression and dehumanization of our members to a standstill.
“JUSUN however thanks the State Government of Osun State for intervening in the situation of our members who were deprived of their salaries for months and the Union equally assures the State Government that the plea by the Government to sheath the sword and resume our duty post shall be looked in to, as soon as the Union members acknowledge the payment of 2023 wardrobe allowance and guaranteed that the oppression by My Lord the Hon. Chief Judge shall stop forthwith,” he stated
