The National Industrial Court in Abuja has scheduled January 27 to rule on an application seeking to restrain workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from continuing their strike.
Justice Emmanuel Subilim adjourned the matter for ruling after hearing submissions from counsel to both parties.
The suit, filed by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the FCT, and the FCTA, seeks a court order compelling the striking workers to resume duties.
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The strike, which began last week, was triggered by unresolved welfare issues, including unpaid salaries, promotion arrears, and poor working conditions.
Wike filed the lawsuit against Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh, President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), respectively.
Maxwell Okpara, counsel to the respondents, requested that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) be joined as parties, arguing that it would make any court order binding on them.
James Onoja, SAN, counsel to the Minister, opposed the application, stating that the suit was instituted against individuals not registered under the Trade Union Act.
Justice Subilim ruled that the court could not join additional parties not listed by the claimants, noting that the case was brought specifically against the two named respondents.
Meanwhile, FCTA workers, supported by the NLC, protested at the National Industrial Court in Abuja on Monday, continuing their strike.
The NLC expressed support for the industrial action, describing it as justified due to violations of workers’ rights by the FCTA management.
During the protest, workers carried placards reading “Wike must go!!”, “Abuja no be Rivers”, “Pay promotion arrears”, “Enough is Enough”, and “No working tools”. The strike has shut down the FCTA Secretariat and other parastatals, despite the presence of security operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force.
The strike followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by the unions to the FCTA management on January 7, 2026, demanding resolution of welfare issues.
The ultimatum was signed by JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary Abdullahi Saleh, with copies sent to the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Director of Security Services.
Read also: NLC backs FCTA workers’ strike, urges affiliate unions to join action
Musa Istifanus, JUAC Vice President, said the strike became necessary after repeated attempts to engage the FCTA management and the Minister of the FCT failed.
He said, “The reason for being here, you can see that we are shutting down the gates of FCTA, FCDA, and all our parastatals and agencies. The main issue is our welfare. Since the inception of this administration, we have been having issues with the management of FCTA and the Minister of FCT. He has refused to meet with the union. The union is a stakeholder of every organisation. The minister has refused to talk to us.”
The court will deliver its ruling on the motion to halt the industrial action on Tuesday, January 27.
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