Nsukka Lawyers Protest Poor Virtual Court Facilities, Demand Return of Physical Sittings
By Chijioke Attah
Lawyers under the aegis of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nsukka Branch, on Monday took to the streets in protest against what they described as the inadequate infrastructure supporting virtual court proceedings across judicial divisions in Enugu North Senatorial Zone.
The protesting lawyers said the situation had continued to hinder the speedy administration of justice and impose additional financial burdens on litigants.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Chairman of the NBA, Nsukka Branch, Barr Christopher Sunday Agbo, said members of the association had been compelled to embark on the protest after several efforts to draw the attention of relevant authorities to their concerns yielded no positive results.
According to him, the branch had previously written to the Chief Judge of Enugu State on the challenges confronting legal practitioners and litigants in the zone, but no concrete action had been taken.
Agbo stressed that lawyers were not opposed to virtual hearing of cases, but insisted that the necessary facilities must be provided to ensure effective and seamless court proceedings.
“We are not against virtual sittings. What we are saying is that government should provide the infrastructure required to make the system work efficiently,” he said.
The NBA chairman outlined three key demands of the association: the immediate resumption of physical sittings by judges in all judicial divisions within the zone; the construction of judges’ quarters to enable judicial officers reside in their areas of posting; and the provision of adequate facilities for virtual proceedings in locations where physical sittings may not be feasible.
He urged the Enugu State Government and the state Chief Judge to replicate the facilities already provided in Enugu metropolis, including large display screens, public address systems and reliable internet connectivity, to enhance virtual court sessions.
Agbo lamented that persistent network failures and inadequate technological infrastructure had continued to delay proceedings and negatively affect the delivery of justice in the affected judicial divisions.
According to him, the development has eroded public confidence in the judiciary and significantly increased the cost of litigation for those seeking legal redress.
“The issue of poor network and inadequate facilities has delayed, affected and hampered justice delivery in these judicial divisions. Litigants are losing confidence in the judicial process, while the cost of litigation continues to rise,” he said.
He added that the protest became necessary to draw the attention of the public, government authorities and the national leadership of the NBA to the challenges confronting the justice sector in the area.
“We have chosen to make our grievances public so that the government, the public and the NBA at the national level can appreciate what we are passing through. If nothing is done, it will amount to abandoning the justice system in Nsukka and encouraging people to resort to self-help,” he warned.
Enugu North Senatorial Zone comprises five judicial divisions – Nsukka, Obollo-Afor, Ogbede, Orba and Enugu-Ezike.
EDITOR
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, as well as M.Sc Mass Communication at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is the immediate past NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
