The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approached the National Industrial Court in Abuja to challenge the ongoing indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was filed against the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the FCTA. It came up for hearing on Monday, January 26, and was adjourned to Tuesday, January 27.
The legal action follows the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), which led to a shutdown of activities at the FCTA Secretariat.
Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCDA Chapter, Felicia Anthony-Okoro, said the strike was triggered by unpaid promotion arrears, unresolved welfare concerns, and what workers described as hostile labour relations.
The industrial action has led to the shutdown of the FCTA Secretariat, with security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and the Civil Defence Corps deployed to restrict access to the complex.
While the FCTA management claims to have met most of the workers’ demands, the union leadership, led by President Rifkatu Iortyer, insists that critical issues remain unresolved.
In the suit, the FCT Minister and the FCTA (Claimants) are seeking an order restraining the union and its agents from engaging in picketing, lockouts, or any actions that disrupt the administration’s operations.
The defendants named in the suit are the JUAC President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary-General, Abdullahi Saleh.
Meanwhile, the FCTA leadership has argued that the strike threatens public order and the delivery of essential services in the nation’s capital, insisting that judicial intervention is necessary to ensure continuity of governance and prevent prolonged disruption.