Lawyers under the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches in Abeokuta, Sagamu and Ota on Monday began a three-day boycott of court proceedings to protest what they described as unfavourable policies introduced by the Ogun State Judiciary, including a N100,000 charge for virtual court hearings.
Speaking with journalists after monitoring compliance at the Magistrates’ and High Courts in Abeokuta, the Chairman of the NBA Abeokuta Branch, Chief Kayode Aderemi, said the decision followed several unsuccessful attempts to engage the judiciary over the disputed policies.
According to Aderemi, the lawyers are protesting the introduction of a N100,000 fee for virtual hearings, an increase in oath administration charges and new restrictions on the processing of affidavits.
“We are here today because members of our branch, by resolution at our branch meeting, resolved to embark on a three-day court boycott, beginning today, July 6, 2026, through July 8, 2026,” Aderemi said.
He added that the boycott was aimed at drawing attention to policies the association believes are detrimental to the interests of its members.
Aderemi said the NBA had made several efforts to persuade the judiciary to review the policies but alleged that no meaningful action had been taken to address the concerns raised.
He noted that the industrial action was being observed by the NBA branches in Abeokuta, Sagamu and Ota, adding that initial monitoring indicated widespread compliance among lawyers.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Registrar of the Ogun State High Court, Mr. Olakulehin Oke, said the judiciary had not received any official communication from any NBA branch regarding the boycott.
According to Oke, the judiciary only became aware of the action through reports circulating on social media.
“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 court boycott. We became aware of the boycott the same way many others did—through social media,” he said.
