Ebonyi Lawyers Suspend 10-Day Court Boycott

• Ebonyi lawyers suspend 10-day court boycott

The Ebonyi lawyers suspend 10-day court boycottchapter of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria has suspended its court boycott, following the Nigeria Bar Association’s (NBA) intervention.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the group embarked on an indefinite boycott of all government cases in court on March 8.

It was protesting what they described as “negligence on welfare” of members by the state government.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Ndubuisi Ogbuinya, told NAN on Thursday in Abakaliki that members decided to return to bar after their meeting with the state NBA on Wednesday.

Ogbuinya said: “Following the meeting we had with the stakeholders, the elders of the bar pleaded with us to suspend the boycott to enable NBA mediate and resolve the matter.

“We boycotted the court activities to draw the government’s attention to the issue of our well-being.

“We want the government to address issues bordering on poor remuneration, non-funding of government cases and government refusal to accommodate us in the payment of the minimum wage.

“We are appealing to government to look into the welfare of law officers in the state, that’s all.”

The state Chairman of NBA, Mr Ogbonnaya Okorie, described the suspension of the boycott as a welcome development and urged the lawyers to embrace dialogue.

“We are happy they have returned to work because since the court boycott, no one was finding it easy.

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“Their absence in court affected even the common man in society. It has affected litigants, defendants and individuals but thank God they are back.

“Yes, they have the right to protest but there is need for peace between workers and the government.

“In every circumstance, there must be dialogue.
“We are ready to push on their behalf and ensure that their welfare is addressed,” Okorie said.