BREAKING: Court Orders FCT Workers To Suspend Strike Action

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja, has ordered Federal Capital Territory (FCT) workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) to immediately suspend their ongoing strike action.

The order followed an interlocutory injunction filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration (FCTA) against JUAC leaders, Rifkatu Iortyer (Chairman) and Abdullahi Umar Saleh (Secretary).

The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, sought to restrain the union and its members from engaging in any form of industrial action, picketing, or lockout against the FCT Administration.

Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that although the dispute met the conditions of a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to strike was “not absolute.”

“Workers are prohibited from participating in a strike once a dispute has been referred to the National Industrial Court,” Justice Subilim ruled.

“Where such a strike is already ongoing, it must cease pending the determination of the case.”

The court, therefore, granted an order of interlocutory injunction, compelling the union to suspend its industrial action until the substantive case is heard and determined.

“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted… restraining the defendants and their representatives from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimant,” the judge stated.

The case has been adjourned to March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.