Unfortunately, all these efforts have proved unsuccessful,” he said.
The three participating branches observed widespread compliance, leaving numerous out-of-state lawyers and local litigants stranded outside the closed courtrooms.
“To the best of my knowledge, the boycott is being observed by the NBA Abeokuta Branch, the NBA Ota Branch, and the NBA Sagamu Branch,” Aderemi said.
The NBA monitored the main judicial facilities at Isabo and Kobape, reporting that local legal practitioners fully supported the collective action.
“From our observations, a few lawyers from outside the jurisdiction may not have been aware of the boycott.
However, among lawyers within our jurisdiction, we have recorded almost 100% compliance,” Aderemi said.
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Judiciary Responds to Boycott
Responding to the strike, the Chief Registrar of the Ogun State High Court, Oke-Olakunlehin Lukmon, claimed that the administration received no formal notification regarding the boycott.
“Officially, we have not been informed.
As I speak, there has been no official communication from any branch of the Nigerian Bar Association notifying us of any courts’ boycott,” Lukmon said.
The registrar defended the judicial reforms, stating that draft copies of the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2024 were sent to all five local NBA branches for review prior to enactment, but received minimal feedback.
“We became aware of the boycott the same way many others did—through social media,” Lukmon said.
Lukmon clarified that the virtual hearing framework remains entirely optional and was established to accommodate international witnesses and reduce travel expenses.
