The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has filed a lawsuit against the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration over the ongoing indefinite strike by FCTA workers, as the dispute heads for court hearing on Monday.
Workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority began the strike after a seven-day ultimatum expired, shutting down activities across major government offices in Abuja. The action led to the closure of the FCTA Secretariat, with operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police deployed to restrict access to the complex.
While FCTA management claimed that most of the workers’ demands had been addressed, the unions rejected the claim, insisting that key issues remain unresolved.
Court documents show that the suit was filed at the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and is being handled by Justice E. D. Subilim. The claimants are the FCT Minister and the FCTA, while JUAC’s President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary General, Abdullahi Saleh, are listed as defendants in their representative capacities.
The minister and the FCTA are seeking court orders to restrain the unions from picketing, blocking access to offices, or taking any action that could disrupt the administration of the FCT. They accused the unions of obstructing roads, shutting offices, and interfering with government operations.
At the hearing, lawyers representing the claimants were present, while the defendants were absent. After reviewing the affidavits and written submissions, the court ruled that the applicants had established sufficient grounds and granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the defendants.
The court ordered that the documents be served through publication in a national newspaper and by pasting them at the JUAC office within the FCTA Secretariat. The matter has been adjourned to January 26, 2026, for further proceedings.
Despite the legal action, JUAC has vowed to continue the strike. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Holina Adejoh, the union urged workers to remain at home until their demands are met, stressing that it would not be intimidated into suspending the industrial action.
