Lawyers in Ogun State have withdrawn their services for three days to protest new court charges introduced by the state High Court.
The Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association ordered the boycott after the court implemented a N100,000 administrative fee for filing new cases, and other fee increments.
The action began on Monday and will affect courts across the state for three days.
Under the new regime, lawyers are required to pay an administrative fee of N100,000 before filing a fresh matter, in addition to existing filing fees and other statutory charges.
The protesting lawyers lamented that the policy would significantly increase the cost of litigation and discourage many Nigerians from seeking legal redress.
The boycott affected proceedings at the High Court, Magistrates’ Courts and other courts across the state, with many courtrooms left without legal representation.
The NBA branches in Ogun State called on the state judiciary to suspend the implementation of the revised fees and engage stakeholders in dialogue to arrive at a more acceptable framework.
The association maintained that while it supports reforms aimed at improving judicial administration, such reforms must not undermine citizens’ constitutional right of access to the courts.
The lawyers also expressed concerns over other newly introduced charges, insisting that the cumulative financial burden on litigants would further weaken public confidence in the justice system.