The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Osun State chapter, has condemned the arson attack on the Osun State High Court 2 building, Ilesa.
The condemnation was contained in a communiqué issued by the Osun JUSUN chairman, Idris Adedayo Adeniran.
In the communique titled: “Re: Burglary and Theft Incidents at the High Court of Justice, Ilesa Division”, JUSUN described the fire incident as a deliberate and destructive act which resulted in the loss of vital court documents, including case files, legal records, and exhibits.
The union, which noted that the arson was not the first time the Ilesa court building had been targeted, added that this marked the third attack on the same premises.
The communiqué read: “The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Osun State Branch, strongly condemns the recent arson attack on the Ilesa High Court 2, which occurred during the night of April 20th to 21st, 2024. This deliberate and destructive act resulted in the loss of vital court documents, including case files, legal records, and exhibits. Such an attack directly undermines the justice system and the rule of law in Osun State.
“This is not the first time this court has been targeted. It marks the third attack on the same premises, following incidents in February 2017 and another in 2021. The recurrence of these attacks raises serious concerns about the security of judicial infrastructure and the safety of judiciary workers.”
Adeniran, in the communiqué, disclosed that the impact of this latest incident is significant.
He said: “Legal proceedings have been disrupted, denying affected citizens access to timely justice.
“Public confidence in the judiciary has been further weakened. The cost of rebuilding and record restoration poses an avoidable financial burden on the state.
“Judiciary workers now live in fear of similar attacks due to a lack of adequate protection.
“This is more than an attack on property—it is a direct assault on justice, democratic governance, and accountability.”
He, however, called on the Osun State Government and all relevant law enforcement agencies to launch a full investigation, apprehend, and prosecute those responsible.
He also demanded: “Prompt implementation of robust security measures at all court facilities, including armed guards and round-the-clock surveillance—a need that has been neglected for almost a decade.
“Provision of emergency funding for the recovery of destroyed documents and the reconstruction of the court.
“Setting up a special task force to digitise and securely back up all essential judicial documents.”
The union also appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to treat the matter as a top priority.
“Protecting the judiciary is not optional—it is vital to the health of our democracy.
“JUSUN remains committed to working with the government and security agencies to ensure that our Courts are never subjected to such devastating attacks again,” the statement concluded.
The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also in a statement by its chairman, Sunday Bisi, condemned the attack on the High Court.
In a statement on Monday, Bisi alleged that those “running away from justice” were responsible for the arson attack.
Bisi also warned that no amount of violence would stave off the course of justice.
DAILY POST had earlier reported that the Osun State Government also condemned the arson attack, describing it as an affront against democracy in the state.
The Osun State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident and assured the public that the police had commenced investigations to unravel the incident.
Ojelabi, however, added that the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained at the time of reporting.
