Let The Rivers’ Courts Open
The importance of Judiciary in any nation operating democratic government cannot be over-emphasized. Democracy processes cannot be completed without the courts.
In fact judiciary is synonymous with democracy. Democracy advocates the enforcement of fundamental human rights, while judiciary protects the rights of human beings.
A nation without judiciary is bound to face chaos and unnecessary crisis. The basic reason is that the judiciary interprets the law of the land. It also protect the rights of individuals, and check the excesses of the other two arms of government namely: the executive and the legislature.
In the past five (5) months the courts in Rivers State are not functioning; due to the industrial action embark upon by the state chapter of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
Their reasons for the continued strike were anchored on the insecurity and the politics surrounding the appointment of the Chief Judge (CJ) of the state. The continued closure of the court does not do the state any good. The dispensation of justice is continued to suffer series of setbacks. Many are now resort to the traditional methods of justice which is cruel.
Our prisons, police and the SSS detention cells have been filled to the brim. A lot of innocent citizens are languishing in the cells without enforcing their fundamental rights. Their fundamental human rights have been trampled upon. This no doubt is the violation of human rights, and against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Let us use this medium to plead with the state officers of the JUSUN to go back to work, no matter the situation so as to save the state from further embarrassment. ###
