Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has blasted former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, claiming that the public funds he allegedly stole could pay the pensions of all judicial workers across Nigeria.
Speaking on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Sowore expressed solidarity with members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), who began an indefinite strike over unpaid allowances and poor welfare conditions.
Standing outside the locked court premises, Sowore didn’t mince words:
“One criminal is richer than all the workers here. Imagine Yahaya Bello—the money he stole in Kogi is enough to pay pensions of every judicial staff in Nigeria.”
He went further, suggesting that if Bello is brought back to court, his alleged loot should be shared:
“Split the money—50% to court workers handling the case, the other half to the looters who want to reloot.”
Sowore’s comments highlight the growing frustration over corruption and the seeming helplessness of the justice system to hold powerful politicians accountable.
The strike, which began Monday, brought legal activities at the Federal High Court to a halt. Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju confirmed the disruption in a Facebook post:
“Federal High Court gate locked. We can’t go in for our matter this morning because of the strike by judiciary workers.”
Sources told Journalist that the strike followed a deadlock in negotiations. While the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council pulled out of the industrial action, the Federal High Court chapter of JUSUN chose to move forward.
A JUSUN executive confirmed to Newsmen that a four-hour meeting with the Department of State Services (DSS) on Sunday failed to yield any breakthrough.
“Another meeting is expected soon, this time convened by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), with all key stakeholders—including the DSS,” the source said.
As the judiciary remains paralyzed, Sowore’s fiery remarks underscore the rising anger over inequality, corruption, and the continued erosion of workers’ rights in Nigeria’s justice sector.