6th July, 2011
Lawyers have began a one-week warning boycott of the Ikorodu High Court in Lagos to protest the “manner†proceedings were being conducted in the court.
The chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Kazeem Adebanjo confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Wednesday.
Adebanjo told NAN that the lawyers had made series of complaints over the matter to the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Inumidun Akande but had not got the desired result.
The NBA chairman alleged that the strike was at the interest of both lawyers and litigants who had become frustrated by the way the presiding judge, Justice O.A. Olayinka was handling things at the court.
The NBA had in a statement signed by Adebanjo and its Secretary, Deacon L.T. Ganiyu, alleged that they were embarking on the strike because of the deplorable condition of things.
They want the presiding judge to be transferred out of the Ikorodu Judicial Division and be replaced with another Judge.
In the alternative, the lawyers appealed to Akande to deploy an additional Judge to the division to salvage the situation.
They also appealed to lawyers from other branches to join them in solidarity and boycott activities at the court during the period.
However, Mrs. Grace Alo, Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Judiciary told NAN that there was no cause for alarm because the issue had been resolved.