Court is set to rule on Wike and FCTA suit seeking to stop Abuja Workers’ Strike.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja has fixed Tuesday for ruling on a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration against leaders of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) over the ongoing strike by FCTA workers.
Justice E.D. Subilim adjourned the matter after hearing arguments from counsel to all parties in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026.
The claimants are seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the JUAC Chairman, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, from embarking on any industrial action, picketing or lockout pending the determination of the substantive suit.
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The strike, which began last Monday after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum, has disrupted activities across major FCTA offices in Abuja, including the FCTA Secretariat, where security operatives were deployed to restrict access.
Despite claims by FCTA management that most of the workers’ demands had been addressed, the union rejected the assertion, maintaining that key issues remained unresolved.
At Monday’s hearing, counsel to the workers’ union, Maxwell Opara, urged the court to dismiss the motion, arguing that granting the reliefs sought would amount to determining the substantive suit at the interlocutory stage. He cited the Supreme Court decision in Opara Agwu & Anor v. Julius Berger Plc, warning that compelling workers to resume duties while salaries remained unpaid could be dangerous.
Opara also called for arbitration and urged the court to compel the FCT minister to participate in mediation.
Justice Subilim subsequently adjourned the case until January 27 for ruling.
Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, counsel to the claimants, James Onoja (SAN), argued that the defendants lacked juristic personality, insisting that JUAC was not registered under the Trade Union Act or the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
“The people who called the strike are an illegal body. JUAC is not registered under the Trade Union Act, and because of that, they cannot call a strike. So, this strike is illegal,” Onoja said, adding that due process was not followed before the industrial action commenced.
In response, Opara said the union had written 11 letters to the minister seeking mediation, stressing that the dispute should have been resolved through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms rather than litigation.
He also explained that JUAC sought to join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as parties to the suit, noting that both labour centres had directed their affiliates to embark on a solidarity strike.
Workers picket court
Meanwhile, workers of the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Agency, supported by the Nigeria Labour Congress, picketed the National Industrial Court ahead of Monday’s hearing, demanding the removal of the FCT minister.
The NLC described the strike as justified, accusing the FCTA management of wage abuse, intimidation of workers and failure to meet statutory obligations.
Protesters displayed placards with inscriptions such as “Wike must go!”, “Pay promotion arrears”, “Enough is enough”, “Pay us our pension now” and “Respect Civil Service rules”.
Other unions, including the Nigerian Union of Teachers, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, the National Union of Electricity Employees and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT chapter, have also joined the strike action.
