The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nsukka and Obollo-Afor branches, has accused Enugu State Chief Judge Justice Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena of ignoring lawyers’ concerns over prolonged virtual court hearings in Enugu North Senatorial District.
In a communiqué signed by branch chairmen Christopher Agbo and Paul Odo, the NBA said High Court judges assigned to the district have not conducted physical sittings for over three years, instead presiding virtually from Enugu metropolis.
The lawyers said the arrangement has increased financial burdens on practitioners and litigants. They have boycotted High Court proceedings for over two weeks following a peaceful protest on June 3, 2026.
The NBA noted that a letter sent to the Chief Judge on March 23, 2026, received no response. An earlier directive instructing judges to return to their divisions was initially complied with but later abandoned, with hearings reportedly conducted from private residences using mobile phones.
The association dismissed security concerns along the Ugwuogo-Opi road as insufficient justification, noting that lawyers and litigants travel the same route daily. It demanded enhanced security or official accommodation for judges within the judicial divisions.
The NBA rejected social media claims that its protest was politically motivated, insisting it was strictly about judicial administration and access to justice. The boycott will continue until demands are addressed.
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