Anifowose Samson
A staff member of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Comrade E.K.O on Wednesday raised alarm over what he described as worsening working conditions, poor welfare, and unjust salary disparities within the institution.
This was as he called on President Bola Tinubu and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to urgently intervene on the ongoing crisis.
In a petition titled “A Cry for Justice: The Plight of Staff at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria,” the staff member accused the court’s management of turning a blind eye to the very rights and protections it was established to uphold.
The petition, which has begun to gain traction among labour rights activists and civil society organisations, is addressed to President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the CJN, urging them to step in before the crisis escalated further.
According to the worker, while employees in other federal courts recently received substantial salary adjustments, NICN staff were subjected to far lower increments without justification.
The disparity, he claimed, reflects a deeper pattern of neglect, frustration, and systemic injustice within the court system.
The staff member further alleged that while other courts have started paying backlog of salaries and arrears, NICN workers remain unpaid and demoralised, with no clear communication from the management.
He further highlighted the grim working environment at the court, citing poor healthcare provisions, lack of staff training, excessive taxation, and an increasingly toxic atmosphere.
“The National Industrial Court, constitutionally empowered to defend workers’ rights, has now become a violator of those same rights,” Comrade E.K.O. lamented.
“Ironically, the institution charged with the responsibility of resolving labour disputes now subjects its own employees to inhumane working conditions, poor welfare, and complete disregard for their wellbeing.
“Our colleagues in other federal courts have started receiving their arrears. At NICN, we are still waiting in vain.
“Our staff members are dying weekly,” he said, “unable to afford medical care due to delayed entitlements and lack of support.
“We are not asking for favours. We are demanding fairness, equity, and the right to live and work with dignity.”
