The Nigerian Bar Association, Abeokuta Branch, has directed its members to boycott courts across the Ogun State capital for three days in protest against what it described as anti-justice policies introduced by the state judiciary.
The boycott, scheduled for July 6 to July 8, 2026, will affect proceedings at the Ogun State High Court, the Customary Court of Appeal, Magistrates’ Courts, and Customary Courts within Abeokuta.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Monday, by the branch’s Publicity Secretary, Abdulbasit Abolade Shuaib.
According to the NBA, the decision followed months of unsuccessful engagements with the Ogun State Judiciary over policies the association said have continued to frustrate legal practice and restrict access to justice.
Among the contentious policies are the implementation of the “Four-Oaths-Per-Day Policy,” an increase in the filing fee for oaths from ₦200 to over ₦1,500—representing about a 650 per cent increase—and the introduction of a ₦100,000 fee for each virtual court sitting.
The association argued that the measures have placed undue financial and operational burdens on legal practitioners and litigants.
“The Branch maintains that these policies constitute significant obstacles to legal practice and the effective representation of clients, thereby adversely affecting access to justice and the administration of justice within Ogun State,” the statement read.
The NBA disclosed that concerns over the policies had repeatedly featured during its monthly general meetings, prompting the branch executive to engage the judiciary through formal correspondence, meetings, telephone discussions, Bar and Bench sessions, and consultations with senior members of the legal profession.
However, it said the interventions failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.
“Despite several interventions, including formal correspondence, meetings, telephone engagements, Bar and Bench discussions, and the involvement of respected elders of the Bar, no satisfactory resolution has been reached,” the statement added.
Consequently, the association directed all lawyers under the Abeokuta Branch to stay away from the affected courts throughout the three-day protest.
While insisting that the boycott became necessary, the NBA reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue, expressing readiness to support any genuine effort by the Ogun State Judiciary to resolve the dispute.
“The Branch remains committed to constructive engagement with the Ogun State Judiciary and expresses its readiness to embrace any genuine efforts aimed at resolving these issues in the interest of the legal profession, litigants, and the administration of justice,” the statement said.
The planned boycott is expected to disrupt court proceedings in Abeokuta during the three-day period unless both parties reach a last-minute resolution.
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