Lawyers across the Nsukka judicial axis of Enugu State on Tuesday staged coordinated protests, threatening to shut down court activities over what they described as the persistent reliance on virtual proceedings by judges sitting in the area.
The protesters, drawn from five judicial divisions—Nsukka, Obollo-Afor, Enugu-Ezike, Ogbede and Umulokpa—said the arrangement, introduced years ago due to insecurity along the Ugwogo-Opi-Nsukka Road, had outlived its usefulness and was now undermining the administration of justice.
Members of the Nigeria Bar Association Nigeria Bar Association Nsukka Branch said judges in the district had shifted to remote hearings following repeated kidnappings and attacks on the Ugwogo-Opi-Nsukka corridor linking Nsukka with Enugu metropolis.
But the lawyers insist the virtual system, which was initially accepted as an emergency response, has now become a structural setback to effective courtroom practice.
Speaking during the protest, the branch chairman, Sunday Agbo, said the judiciary had effectively operated virtual hearings for about three years, with court clerks often using mobile phones to connect judges to proceedings.
He argued that while the innovation was meant to address security challenges in parts of Enugu State, it had instead created procedural gaps and weakened courtroom engagement.
According to him, the absence of physical proceedings has exposed lawyers to operational and safety risks inside court premises, including situations where opposing parties and witnesses sit in close proximity during cross-examination.
Agbo stressed that the lawyers were not rejecting technology in the justice system but were demanding properly equipped courtrooms that can support effective hybrid or virtual hearings where necessary.
“We are not saying virtual hearings should be abolished,” he said, “but courtrooms must be properly equipped to make the process efficient and functional.”
He added that repeated complaints and petitions had been sent to relevant authorities, including the Enugu State Government and the state judiciary leadership, without any decisive improvement.
Another lawyer, Frank Agbowo, said the initial decision to adopt virtual hearings was informed by persistent insecurity along the Nsukka–Enugu route, which forced judicial officers to avoid regular physical travel.
However, he argued that the system has failed to meet basic standards of justice delivery.
He said judges are sometimes unable to properly assess witness demeanor, document tendering becomes clumsy, and court files are frequently delayed or transferred between divisions, leading to avoidable setbacks in cases.
“Sometimes, the judge cannot properly see the documents being tendered, and counsel on the other side cannot examine them effectively,” he said.
Agbowo further noted that unstable internet connectivity often disrupts proceedings, causing parts of hearings to be inaudible or entirely lost.
He added that while virtual hearings may be appropriate for preliminary motions and administrative matters, they are unsuitable for full trials where credibility assessment and evidence evaluation are central.
The lawyer warned that if urgent reforms are not implemented, the protesting lawyers would boycott court sessions across the Nsukka zone, effectively grounding judicial activities.
“From now, we are not going to attend court. The courts in this zone will be shut down until physical sittings are restored or properly structured,” he declared.
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