Lawyers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Allowances, Salary Harmonisation

Kwara Lawyers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Allowances, Salary Harmonisation

Law officers in the Kwara State Ministry of Justice have downed tools indefinitely, citing the government’s failure to pay outstanding statutory allowances and harmonise their salaries with those of magistrates. Members of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN), Kwara State Chapter, on Monday commenced an indefinite strike following the expiration of a seven-day notice issued to the State Government over unresolved welfare demands. The industrial action was announced in a notice signed by the Acting Chairman of the association, Barr. Kehinde M. Ayorinde, Esq., directing members to suspend all official duties until further notice. “Take notice that LOAN, Kwara State Chapter commences her indefinite strike action today, July 27, 2026, until the government responds to her demands. Members would therefore suspend all official duties till further notice,” the notice stated. The action follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum earlier issued by the association to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, warning that its members would embark on an indefinite strike if their grievances were not addressed.

The dispute centres on the welfare of members, with the association noting that it had previously written several letters to the governor requesting the payment of outstanding allowances but received no favourable response. The lawyers expressed disappointment over what they described as the government’s indifference despite the critical responsibilities they perform in the administration of justice across the state. “Our members confront criminals in court on a daily basis, generate revenue through the vetting of contract agreements, draft bills, prosecute tax defaulters to recover government revenue, and handle cases involving gender-based violence,” the association stated. The lawyers added that they also provide legal advice to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), offer legal services to indigent citizens, and mediate in civil disputes, among other responsibilities. The association maintained that its members play critical roles in the administration of justice, including prosecuting criminal cases, providing legal advice to government agencies, drafting legislation and recovering public revenue through the prosecution of tax defaulters.

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Among the demands listed by the association are the payment of the outstanding 50 per cent balance of the 2020 furniture allowance, payment of the 2024 outstanding furniture allowance, settlement of robe allowances for 2024, 2025 and 2026, and the implementation of the harmonisation of salaries and allowances. The lawyers also urged the government to harmonise the conditions of service for State Counsel with those of Magistrates in the Kwara State Judiciary in line with the 1999 and 2005 harmonisation approvals.

The association recalled that its members embarked on a three-day warning strike from October 27 to October 29, 2025, but later suspended the action following the intervention of the Office of the Head of Service and labour unions, which assured them that their demands would be addressed by the appropriate authorities. According to the association, those assurances have not translated into action, with nothing done since 2025 despite several follow-up letters requesting the government to revisit the issues. “It is against this backdrop that we are constrained to give this seven-day notice of an indefinite strike, commencing from July 20 and lapsing on July 26, 2026, to press home our demands and secure the attention of the state government,” the letter read.

The industrial action has disrupted court proceedings and legal operations across the state, with several ministries and departments affected. The strike comes amid broader agitation within the judiciary in Kwara State, with magistrates having earlier in June 2026 threatened an indefinite strike over poor salaries, unpaid allowances and discriminatory welfare treatment. The Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kwara State Chapter, had announced plans to embark on an indefinite strike beginning July 2, 2026, over poor remuneration, unpaid allowances and discriminatory welfare treatment among magistrates in the state. The magistrates lamented that a Grade Level 14 Magistrate currently earns less than a Grade Level 14 Court Registrar, describing the situation as unjust and demoralising for judicial officers. They also decried the non-payment of furniture allowance, which is expected to accrue every four years, noting that the allowance was last paid during the administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Magistrates in the state have also revealed the humiliation, deprivation and neglect they suffer, alleging that most of them earn less than N200,000 monthly and have been forced to rely on commercial motorcycles (Okada) as their primary means of transportation to court. The judicial officers lamented that judges of the superior courts, as well as top judicial administrators such as the Chief Registrar and Deputy Chief Registrar, have benefited from welfare improvements and vehicle allocations, while magistrates and Area Court judges continue to struggle. These recurring welfare disputes among judicial officers and law officers in Kwara State highlight the need for the state government to address the systemic challenges affecting the justice sector, including salary harmonisation and the prompt payment of statutory allowances.

Lawyers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Allowances, Salary Harmonisation