Posted by Chinenye on Wed 17th Jun, 2026 - tori.ng
A growing dispute has erupted in Enugu State after lawyers accused the Chief Judge, Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena, of ignoring repeated concerns over prolonged virtual court sittings in the Enugu North Senatorial District.
The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena, has been accused by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nsukka and Obollo-Afor chapters, of ignoring the worries of attorneys, litigants, and court employees in Enugu North Senatorial District regarding protracted virtual court proceedings.
According to the group, the district's High Court judges have been presiding over cases virtually from Enugu city for more than three years instead of holding in-person sessions.
The NBA claims that this structure has made it more difficult and expensive for lawyers and others seeking justice.
Barristers Christopher Agbo and Paul Odo, the chairmen of the NBA Nsukka and Obollo-Afor sections, signed a communiqué headlined "Virtual Court Hearing in High Court of Enugu State in Enugu North Senatorial District and Matters Incidental Thereto."
The attorneys said that after a nonviolent demonstration against the ongoing use of virtual hearings on June 3, 2026, members had begun a boycott of High Court proceedings in the district for more than two weeks.
They claimed that the Chief Judge had not responded to a letter they issued on March 23, 2026.
The communiqué said, "The Chief Judge of Enugu State has not responded in any way to the issues we raised, despite receiving our letter on March 23, 2026, and starting a protest as a result of the failure to address our concerns."
The NBA further recalled that following initial compliance, the Chief Judge's prior order directing judges to return to their judicial divisions for in-person sittings had been revoked.
According to the group, judicial proceedings eventually returned to virtual sessions held from Enugu, occasionally outside of official courtrooms or even private homes.
Additionally, it stated that the majority of Enugu North's courts lack the necessary infrastructure for virtual sessions, and that court employees' and attorneys' personal gadgets and cell phones are frequently used for hearings.
The attorneys also claimed that case files had been transferred from the Nsukka and Obollo-Afor registries to Enugu, making it more costly and impossible for litigants to get court records.
They also described the arrangement as ineffective and onerous, criticizing numerous disruptions in virtual hearings brought on by bad network access.
The NBA rejected the rationale, claiming it was insufficient to halt actual court operations, in response to security concerns frequently raised for the virtual sessions, especially near the Ugwuogo-Opi road.
The group pointed out that litigants, attorneys, and court employees still take the same path every day for official business.
It also contrasted the situation with other states that still hold in-person court sessions but face more security issues.
In order to address safety concerns, the NBA urged the Chief Judge to provide judges with increased security measures or to make formal accommodations within the judicial divisions.
Additionally, it denied social media rumors that its protest was politically motivated, maintaining that the action was solely focused on access to justice and judicial administration.
The group declared that unless its requests are met by the relevant authorities, it will keep abstaining from High Court proceedings in the Enugu North Senatorial District.