They noted that the poor welfare of judiciary workers continues to cripple the justice system under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ondo State judiciary workers have lamented the deteriorating state of courts across the state, while narrating how rainfall often leads to the suspension of court processes.
They noted that the poor welfare of judiciary workers continues to cripple the justice system under the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The affected Ondo State judiciary workers told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that court activities are frequently disrupted because “more often than not, especially when it rains, court activities must be suspended due to roof leakages.”
They stressed that judicial autonomy is a constitutional matter, citing Section 121 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which provides that “any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary of a state in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state shall be paid directly to the head of the courts concerned.”
According to the workers, funds meant for the judiciary should be treated as a first-line charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, with recurrent revenue released monthly and capital budget paid quarterly.
Also, timely releases would enable the judiciary “run its affairs without remaining tied to the apron string of the executive for its operations.”
They warned that the Ondo State judiciary “is in a state of near extinction because of the multifarious challenges” it is currently facing.
Highlighting infrastructural decay, the workers disclosed that there are over 250 courts across Ondo State, including High Courts, Magistrates’ Courts, Customary Courts and Rent Tribunals, many of which are “in a sorry state due to several years of neglect.”
They said the Ondo State Government has “for a very long time neglected and abandoned the judiciary,” adding that it took interventions from different branches of the Nigerian Bar Association to fix several courts. “A High Court roof at Ikare Judicial Division collapsed – NBA Ikare branch had to fix the roofing,” the account said.
They added that “whenever it rains, High Court Ondo becomes a swimming pool,” prompting intervention by the NBA in Ondo City, while a lawyer had to volunteer to fix and provide furniture for the High Court in Owo. According to them, “the High Court at Okitipupa has no functional Court building.”
At the judiciary headquarters, the workers lamented that “there are no chairs to sit in many offices,” with staff relying on chairs procured by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.
They further described the welfare of judicial officers as dire, revealing that judges now sit on rotational basis, with “two judges to a court room,” while “magistrates in most cases sit (two or three) to one single court even at the headquarters in Akure.”
Although they acknowledged that an ultra-modern court complex is being built in Akure, they stressed that “all the courts outside the headquarters (in all the other 17 Local Government in Ondo State) are crying for attention as they are in a state of total neglect.”
On funding, the workers said it is now common knowledge that the judiciary’s 2026 budget was “cut down drastically,” claiming the move suggests the Ondo State Government is set “to emasculate, annihilate and totally push the judiciary to extinction.”
They questioned the intention of the executive, asking: “What is the intention of the Executive; to grant autonomy without requisite funds? To make the judiciary still dependent on the executive? Or to grant autonomy with one hand and snatch same with the other hand?”
They warned that “any autonomy without adequate funding is clearly throwing the judiciary into more confusion.”
The workers also highlighted transportation challenges faced by judicial officers, saying most judges’ vehicles are overdue for replacement. “By NJC regulation, Judges official cars are to be replaced every 4 years,” they said, noting that about 19 vehicles are due for replacement.
They described the condition of magistrates as particularly troubling, stating that “in Ondo State, Magistrates and Grade A Customary Court Presidents board public transport to their courts,” adding that “it is indeed very worrisome that some of the magistrates take Okada to work.”
They called for urgent intervention to prevent the total collapse of the justice system in the state under the administration of governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
On December 18, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that Coalition of Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Courts, and Legal Research Officers across Ondo State announced its intention to withdraw services with effect from 5 January 2026.
SaharaReporters learnt that the decision of the top judiciary officers followed what it described as the "continued lip service by the State Executive to the issue of financial autonomy for the Judiciary."
The Coalition stated that the lack of genuine implementation of judicial financial autonomy has severely affected the welfare of judicial officers, operational efficiency, dignity of office, and the institutional support required for an effective justice delivery system.
SaharaReporters gathered that this position was communicated in a letter dated December 10, 2025, which was formally submitted to the offices of the Honourable Chief Judge of Ondo State and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ondo State, on 17 and 18 December 2025 respectively.
According to the Coalition, its members have been subjected to persistent denial of several welfare entitlements, including the provision of official vehicles, improved allowances, and other essential support necessary for the effective discharge of their duties.