Some lawyers in Osun State on Tuesday shunned court sittings in a peaceful protest organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over increase in filing fees.
Activities at the Osun High Court were paralysed following the NBA protest over what it termed “commercialisation of justice.”
Chairman of Osogbo branch of the NBA, Asafa Sanusi, who spoke to newsmen, expressed sadness over what it called unilateral and arbitrary increment in filing fees.
Mr. Sanusi said with the increment, to file a writ of summons, a client would now pay N40,000 as against N4,000.
He added that a divorce petition has also jumped from N3,000 to N25,000.
The NBA chairman said the body was against the decision as contained in a circular signed by the Principal Registrar of the State High Court, Taiwo Jacob.
In the circular, the increment in the filing fees was with immediate effect.
Sanusi said that the increment was unacceptable to the association, adding that lawyers would not allow the new charges to come into effect.
He hinted that lawyers would not attend courts until the state government reverts to the old fees.
Permanent Secretary, Osun Ministry of Justice, Mr Biola Odewemimo, said the state government would soon react on the issue in dispute.
