The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Osun State has issued a stern warning to Governor Ademola Adeleke, cautioning that the prolonged shutdown of courts in the state could escalate into a constitutional crisis, potentially triggering a state of emergency.

The warning, conveyed through a jointly signed letter, came from the five NBA branches in Osun — Osogbo, Ikirun, Iwo, Ife, and Ilesa — which accused the governor of inaction in resolving the ongoing judiciary crisis. The lawyers demanded that the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) be compelled to return to work within seven days.

Courts in Osun have remained closed since September 22, 2025, following an industrial strike over welfare issues, stalled promotions, and what judicial workers describe as “arrogant neglect” by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and state authorities.

“If prolonged, this closure may lead to a situation akin to a state of emergency,” the NBA warned.

The letter, signed by Maruf Adediran, Niyi Akinsola, F.O. Ajani, Ayodele Olawoye, and Raymond Oki, accused Adeleke’s appointees on the JSC of deliberately sabotaging reconciliation efforts by refusing to attend peace meetings convened by the Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo.

The NBA also noted that JUSUN leadership ignored official invitations and boycotted a joint mediation session organized by the NBA and the Chief Judge, causing the negotiations to collapse.

“The conduct of the governor’s JSC nominees proves that the state government is either complicit in the impasse or willingly indifferent to the constitutional implications,” the NBA stated.

The lawyers stressed that constitutional governance cannot function while courts remain shut, cases are abandoned, detainees languish in correctional centres, and civil liberties are left in political limbo.

Earlier, JUSUN had accused the judiciary leadership of treating the union with contempt, citing a September 3 letter that was allegedly ignored by the JSC.

“The Osun State Judiciary leadership is not committed to upholding the rule of law and industrial harmony,” JUSUN chairman Idris Adeniran had declared in September.