A dispute has emerged in Osun State judiciary circles following conflicting accounts of an incident at the Odeomu High Court involving judiciary staff and legal practitioners.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yomi Aliyu, alleged that officials of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Osun State branch and a court Registrar, Ademiju Oyewole, unlawfully accessed the court premises at night.
Aliyu, who claimed that the individuals “invaded the court at night to take a case file,” described the development as a serious breach of judicial process.
He alleged that the registrar and the Osun JUSUN chairman, Idris Adebayo Adeniran, acted outside legal boundaries.
Aliyu maintained his concerns, urging that due process be followed and that any irregularities be properly investigated.
However, Osun JUSUN has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as “sensationalist and factually bankrupt.”
In a statement signed by its Osun State Chairman, Idris Adeniran, the union denied any wrongdoing by its members.
Adeniran stated, “There was no invasion or break-in,” adding that the Registrar was in his office carrying out official duties.
According to the union, the Registrar was engaged in certifying records of appeal for the state government, which it described as a routine administrative responsibility.
JUSUN also maintained that the Registrar acted with the knowledge and approval of the presiding judge, identified as Justice Okediya.
The union argued that it was within the authority of the judge to permit staff to carry out official duties within the court premises.
On his presence at the scene, Adeniran said “he acted in his capacity as union leader to ensure the welfare of a staff member.”
“My presence was that of a leader protecting a worker, not a participant in a crime,” he stated.
The union dismissed claims that the timing of the activity suggested misconduct and explained that judiciary staff often work beyond official hours to meet deadlines, particularly in matters involving appeals.
Adeniran added that security personnel, including police officers and vigilantes, who visited the court did not report any criminal activity.
“They even provided him with security while he completed the task,” he said.
On allegations of confessions, JUSUN described such claims as a classic scare tactic insisting that no wrongdoing had occurred.
The union also disclosed that the Registrar, identified as Mr Ademiju, had been released on bail.
It stated that the development supported its position that the detention was unnecessary.
