By SUNTV Global | January 27, 2026
Abuja remains largely shut down as the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja Division, is set to deliver a crucial ruling today in a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, against leaders of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) over the ongoing workers’ strike that has paralysed government activities in the nation’s capital.
The case, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was instituted by the FCT Minister and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) against the Chairman of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh. The claimants are seeking an interlocutory injunction to restrain the union leaders and their associates from embarking on or continuing any form of industrial action, including picketing, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Justice E.D. Subilim fixed January 27 for ruling after hearing arguments from counsel to both parties during proceedings on Monday.
The legal confrontation comes against the backdrop of a crippling strike by workers of the FCTA and its agencies, which began last Monday following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by labour unions. Since then, activities across major FCTA offices have ground to a halt, with public services severely disrupted.
At the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja, security operatives were deployed to restrict access as workers stayed away from duty, highlighting the scale of the shutdown in the federal capital.
While FCTA management has repeatedly claimed that most of the workers’ demands have been met, the Joint Union Action Committee has dismissed the claims as misleading, insisting that key issues—particularly unpaid entitlements and welfare-related concerns—remain unresolved.
Arguing for the workers, counsel Maxwell Opara urged the court to dismiss the motion for interlocutory injunction, warning that granting it would amount to determining the substantive case at a preliminary stage. He relied on the Supreme Court decision in Opara Agwu & Anor v. Julius Berger Plc, cautioning that compelling workers to resume duty while salaries and entitlements remain unpaid could have serious consequences.
Opara also called on the court to explore arbitration and compel the FCT Minister to personally participate in mediation efforts, stressing that dialogue—not litigation—was the most appropriate path to resolving the crisis.
On the other side, counsel to the claimants, James Onoja (SAN), argued that JUAC lacked juristic personality, insisting that the committee was neither registered under the Trade Union Act nor recognised under 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 lawfully call a strike. That is our position before the court,” Onoja said.
He added that the Wike-led FCTA administration was open to dialogue and had already initiated mediation before the unions embarked on industrial action, arguing that due process was not followed before the strike was declared.
Reacting, Opara accused the FCT Minister of attempting to intimidate workers through the courts rather than addressing their grievances directly.
“This time, the minister is wasting time in court trying to intimidate workers. Is it not enough to talk to workers?” he asked.
He disclosed that the union had written at least 11 letters to the minister, outlining workers’ demands and calling for mediation, adding that forcing workers back to work without resolving their grievances could be dangerous.
“If you call off the strike, you want an angry, hungry man to go back to work? That is even more dangerous,” Opara warned.
On the move to join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as parties to the suit, Opara explained that the claimants sued only two individuals in their personal capacity, despite JUAC operating under the umbrella of the NLC and TUC, both of which had issued directives for solidarity action.
As Abuja waits anxiously for the court’s ruling, residents and civil servants alike are bracing for a decision that could either deepen the standoff or open the door to renewed negotiations.
SUNTV Global will continue to monitor developments and bring you updates as the story unfolds.
