Wike sues striking FCTA workers, union refuses to back down

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has approached the National Industrial Court over the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, taking legal action against the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC).

The matter is expected to be heard on Monday.

The strike began on Monday after workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority allowed a seven-day ultimatum to lapse.

The action has disrupted activities across several government offices in Abuja.

Operations at the FCTA Secretariat were halted, prompting the deployment of operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force to restrict access to the complex.

Although the FCTA management said most of the workers’ demands had been addressed, the union disagreed, insisting that key issues remained unresolved.

Court documents obtained on Thursday showed that the suit was filed at the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria under suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026.

Read also: FCT doctors hail Wike over 13 months hazard allowance, wage award 

The case is before Justice E. D. Subilim.

The claimants are the FCT Minister and the FCTA, while the defendants are JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary-General Abdullahi Saleh, sued in their representative capacities.

According to the filings, the claimants are seeking an order restraining the unions and their agents from picketing, blocking roads, shutting offices, or taking actions that could disrupt the work of the FCT administration, departmental heads, or political appointees.

The unions were accused of disrupting administrative activities.

At the hearing of the application, counsel to the claimants were present, while the defendants were absent. The minister and the FCTA were represented by Ogwu Onoja, SAN; M.A. Ebute, SAN; George Ibrahim, SAN; K.O. Mustapha; and Esther Audu.

After reviewing the affidavits and written addresses, Justice Subilim ruled that the applicants had established sufficient grounds and granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the defendants.

In a ruling delivered on January 21, the court ordered that service be effected through publication in Leadershipnewspaper or any other national daily, as well as by pasting the processes at the JUAC office at the FCTA Secretariat, No. 1 Kapital Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.

The court held that this mode of service would be valid.

The case was adjourned to January 26, 2026, for hearing of a motion on notice.

Despite the court action, JUAC said the strike would continue. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Holina Adejoh, the union thanked workers for complying with the directive to stay away from work.

The union said the strike would remain in place until its demands were met and confirmed awareness of the court action. It added that it would not be intimidated into suspending the strike and urged workers to continue observing the stay-at-home directive until further notice.