Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: NBA Slams Enugu Chief Judge as Lawyers Boycott Courts Over Three-Year Absence of Judges in Nsukka

Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: NBA Slams Enugu Chief Judge as Lawyers Boycott Courts Over Three-Year Absence of Judges in Nsukka

June 17, 2026

For more than three years, residents of Enugu North Senatorial District have been grappling with a deepening judicial crisis as judges assigned to courts in Nsukka and Obollo-Afor have allegedly refused to sit physically in their designated judicial divisions.

The situation has now triggered a major confrontation between the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena Afojulu, with lawyers sustaining a boycott of High Court proceedings in protest against what they describe as a complete collapse of access to justice in the region.

The NBA accused the state's judiciary leadership of neglecting repeated complaints while thousands of litigants continue to suffer severe financial and emotional hardship due to the prolonged absence of judges.

The allegations were contained in a communiqué jointly issued by the NBA Nsukka and Obollo-Afor branches after a strategic meeting held to address the worsening crisis.

The communiqué, titled “Virtual Court Hearing in High Court of Enugu State in Enugu North Senatorial District and Matters Incidental Thereto,” was signed by the Chairmen of both branches, Christopher Agbo and Paul Odo.

According to the lawyers, the boycott of High Court proceedings has lasted for over two weeks following what they described as the Chief Judge's persistent refusal to address their concerns despite several appeals.

The NBA revealed that a formal letter outlining their grievances was sent to Justice Afojulu on March 23, 2026, but no response has been received.

The association stated that frustration among legal practitioners reached a boiling point, leading to peaceful protests on June 3, 2026.

The lawyers alleged that instead of physically sitting in Nsukka and Obollo-Afor as required, some judges conduct proceedings virtually from Enugu metropolis, while lawyers, litigants and court officials are left stranded in court premises located several kilometres away.

They described the arrangement as chaotic, ineffective and an abuse of judicial processes.

According to the NBA, the situation has exposed serious infrastructural deficiencies that undermine the integrity of court proceedings.

The association alleged that there are virtually no facilities available to support digital court operations in Enugu North Senatorial District.

Rather than modern video conferencing systems, lawyers said court proceedings often depend on mobile phones belonging to court staff, while legal practitioners are sometimes forced to volunteer their own phones, internet access and power banks simply to keep cases moving.

The lawyers also raised concerns over the handling of court documents, alleging that case files have been removed from court registries in Nsukka and Obollo-Afor and relocated to Enugu.

This, they said, has made it increasingly difficult for litigants and lawyers to access important records, court orders and judgments.

In many cases, litigants reportedly bear additional financial burdens by paying for the transportation of court staff between Enugu and the affected judicial divisions whenever official documents are needed.

The NBA dismissed claims that insecurity along the Ugwuogo-Opi road could justify judges' refusal to work from their designated stations.

According to the association, lawyers, court employees, magistrates and ordinary citizens continue to use the same route daily without abandoning their professional responsibilities.

The lawyers argued that if security concerns genuinely exist, the Chief Judge should urgently collaborate with relevant authorities to provide adequate protection and accommodation for judges rather than allowing the judicial system in the region to remain paralysed.

They insisted that the constitutional right of citizens to access justice cannot be sacrificed because judges are unwilling to leave Enugu urban.

The NBA further clarified that its protest is purely professional and should not be misconstrued as politically motivated.

The association strongly condemned attempts by some online platforms to link the action to political interests or opposition to any government.

"Our protest has nothing to do with President Bola Tinubu, any government or any political party. The NBA remains a non-partisan professional body," the communiqué stated.

The ongoing standoff has intensified concerns among residents, legal experts and civil society groups, many of whom fear that prolonged disruption of judicial services could further erode public confidence in the justice system.

For thousands of litigants across Enugu North Senatorial District, the crisis represents more than an administrative dispute; it is a denial of a fundamental constitutional right.

As the boycott continues with no immediate resolution in sight, pressure is mounting on the Enugu State judiciary to intervene decisively and restore full physical court operations before the situation spirals into a larger institutional crisis.

For many affected citizens, one question remains unanswered: How long can justice remain out of reach before the entire system loses public trust?