Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court has ordered workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend their ongoing strike pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.
The ruling came in response to an application filed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who sought a court order compelling the striking workers to return to work. The Minister’s suit named the President and the Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC) as respondents.
Justice Subilim stated that under Section 18(1)E of the Trade Dispute Act, once a dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, any industrial action, including strikes, must be suspended. He explained that this suspension is necessary to allow the proper resolution of the dispute, emphasizing that ongoing strikes must halt once a suit is initiated by originating summons, which serves as a referral to the court.
The judge also noted that failure to comply with Section 18 of the Act could result in sanctions. He further pointed out that the public interest in maintaining industrial peace outweighed the inconvenience caused by the strike suspension.
The case has been adjourned to March 25, 2026, for a hearing.
The strike, which began on January 19, 2026, was initiated by workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over what they described as “unmet demands” from the Federal Government. The strike has resulted in the shutdown of all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals, crippling operations across Abuja.
