BREAKING: Judicial Activities Grind To A Halt As Ondo Magistrates, Customary Court Presidents, Legal Officers Strike

The strike action was declared by the Coalition of Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Court and Legal Research Officers (Ondo State Judiciary) in a notice dated January 2, 2026, and addressed to all magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts and legal research officers in the state.

Judicial activities across Ondo State have been brought to a complete halt following the commencement of an indefinite strike by magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts and legal research officers over unresolved issues of judicial autonomy and welfare.

The strike action was declared by the Coalition of Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Court and Legal Research Officers (Ondo State Judiciary) in a notice dated January 2, 2026, and addressed to all magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts and legal research officers in the state.

In the notice, the coalition directed all its members to “commence a strike action indefinitely with effect from Monday, 5th January 2026.”

It warned that throughout the duration of the strike, members are “strictly prohibited from performing any official function or acting in their official capacity whatsoever.”

The directive expressly barred members from “reporting to the office, sitting in court, issuing, signing, endorsing, or authorizing any order, process, directive, or document, whether physically or remotely, for the entire duration of the strike.”

According to the coalition, the industrial action would not be suspended until its core demands are met.

“This strike action shall remain in force until our collective demands for judicial autonomy and improved welfare are fully achieved,” the statement said, stressing further that, “We will not compromise on these fundamental principles.”

The coalition also appealed to its members to stand firm and united, urging them to demonstrate “unity, discipline, and unwavering solidarity in support of this action.”

It added that members “will be duly informed of developments as they unfold.”

Videos and photographs obtained by SaharaReporters showed court premises across Ondo State shut on Monday morning, with gates locked and padlocked, indicating a total shutdown of judicial activities following the directive.

The strike comes amid longstanding complaints by judiciary workers in the state over poor working conditions.

SaharaReporters had reported on December 31, 2025, that judicial workers in Ondo State lamented the deteriorating condition of court infrastructure, narrating how rainfall often leads to the suspension of court proceedings.

They also complained that the poor welfare of judicial workers has continued to cripple the justice system under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The notice of strike was jointly signed by the Chairman of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria, Ondo State Branch; the Chairman of the Association of Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Court; and the Acting Chairman of the Association of Legal Research Officers, signalling a united front by key judicial officers in the state.

WATCH: Judicial Activities Grind To A Halt As Ondo Magistrates, Customary Court Presidents, Legal Officers Strike pic.twitter.com/tsVWeZyf7G

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) January 5, 2026