By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

Lawyers in Ogun State, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Monday commenced a three-day boycott of court proceedings in protest against what they described as anti-lawyer policies introduced by the Ogun State Judiciary.

The boycott, which began on Monday, July 6, is expected to end on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, and affects proceedings at the High Court, Customary Court of Appeal, Magistrates’ Courts and Customary Courts across the affected judicial divisions.

The NBA said the action followed the judiciary’s refusal to address concerns over a number of policies, including the introduction of a ₦100,000 fee for every virtual court sitting, an increase in the cost of administering affidavits from ₦200 to over ₦1,500, and restrictions limiting lawyers to processing only four general affidavits daily.

According to the association, the policies have made legal practice more difficult, increased litigation costs for clients and undermined access to justice in the state.

The NBA, in a directive to its members, urged lawyers to stay away from all court proceedings during the three-day period.

Speaking after monitoring compliance with the boycott at the Magistrate Court, Isabo, and the High Court along Kobape Road, Abeokuta, Chairman of the NBA, Abeokuta Branch, Chief Kayode Aderemi, said the action became inevitable after repeated efforts to engage the judiciary failed.

“We are here today because members of our branch, by resolution at our branch meeting, agreed to embark on a three-day court boycott beginning today through July 8.

“The boycott is in protest against certain policies of the Ogun State Judiciary which we believe are inimical to the interests of our members and the administration of justice,” he said.

Aderemi identified the ₦100,000 virtual hearing fee as one of the major concerns, arguing that the charge places an unnecessary financial burden on litigants.

“Any litigant who wishes to have a matter heard virtually must now pay ₦100,000 for each virtual session. We consider this excessive and capable of discouraging access to justice,” he stated.

On the increase in affidavit fees, the NBA chairman said clients had continued to express dissatisfaction over the sharp rise in charges.

“The oath administration fee has increased from ₦200 to over ₦1,500. Our clients have consistently complained about this increase, and legal practitioners are constantly being called upon to explain the rationale behind it.”

He also faulted the policy restricting lawyers to processing only four general affidavits in a day.

“If a lawyer has 15 or more clients requiring affidavits, what happens? We believe this policy unjustifiably limits lawyers in carrying out their professional responsibilities.”

Aderemi disclosed that the NBA had exhausted all available avenues to resolve the dispute before embarking on the industrial action.

“We have written several letters as a branch. Other NBA branches in Ogun State have equally written. We have raised these issues repeatedly during Bar and Bench meetings attended by branch chairmen, branch secretaries, administrative judges and the Chief Judge.

“Senior members of the Bar have also intervened by approaching Their Lordships in an effort to resolve these concerns. Unfortunately, all these efforts have yielded no positive outcome.”

He added that the boycott was being observed by the NBA branches in Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu.

“Our responsibility is to direct our members in line with the resolution reached by the branch. From our monitoring this morning, compliance among lawyers within our jurisdiction is almost 100 per cent. Those seen in court were mostly lawyers from outside the affected branches who may not have been aware of the directive,” he said.

Reacting to the boycott, the Chief Registrar of the Ogun State High Court, Mr. Olakulehin Oke, while
defending the ₦100,000 virtual hearing fee, explained that the provision was introduced under the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2024 after an extensive consultative process with NBA branches across the state.

He stressed that virtual hearings are optional and designed to improve access to justice, particularly where witnesses are unable to appear physically in court.

“Technology comes with costs. The judiciary has invested significantly in establishing virtual courtrooms across the state. More than 600 virtual hearings have already been conducted successfully, with witnesses participating from countries including Australia, Canada and the United States.

“If such witnesses had to travel physically to Nigeria, the costs would be much higher. Virtual hearings save both time and expenses, while enhancing the efficiency of the justice delivery system.”

The judiciary also defended the increase in affidavit fees, attributing it to the introduction of the OgunComis electronic affidavit platform, which it said was designed to eliminate forgery, curb corruption and digitalize affidavit processing.

According to the Chief Registrar, the platform allows users to obtain affidavits online without visiting court premises and is already being used in several states, including Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory.

He further clarified that the restriction to four affidavits daily applies only to general affidavits such as declarations of age, change of name, loss of documents and similar applications—not witness statements on oath or affidavits connected with pending court cases.

“There is absolutely no restriction on court process affidavits. Lawyers can file as many witness statements on oath and litigation-related affidavits as necessary.

“The limitation applies only to general affidavits and was introduced to curb abuse, reduce fraudulent practices and improve security because these documents are generated from standard templates that members of the public can complete without necessarily engaging legal practitioners.”

The Chief Registrar maintained that many of the issues raised by the NBA had already been discussed through the Bar and Bench Forum, expressing optimism that dialogue would ultimately resolve the dispute.