The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to court over the ongoing strike by FCTA workers, as the dispute heads for a hearing on Monday.
Workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) began an indefinite strike on Monday after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum, paralysing activities across key government offices in Abuja. The action led to the shutdown of operations at the FCTA Secretariat, prompting the deployment of operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force to restrict access to the complex.
While FCTA management claimed that most of the workers’ demands had been addressed, JUAC rejected the assertion, insisting that the core issues remained unresolved.
Court documents sighted on Thursday showed that the suit was filed at the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, with suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, and is being handled by Justice E. D. Subilim. The claimants are the FCT Minister and the FCTA, while the defendants are the President of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer, and the Secretary-General, Abdullahi Saleh, sued in their representative capacities.
The minister and the FCTA are seeking an order restraining the unions and their agents from picketing, obstructing offices, blocking roads, or engaging in any action that could disrupt the administration of the FCT. The unions were accused of shutting offices and impeding the smooth running of government activities.
At the hearing, counsel to the claimants were present, while the defendants were absent. The claimants were represented by a team of senior lawyers, including Ogwu Onoja, SAN; M.A. Ebute, SAN; George Ibrahim, SAN; K.O. Mustapha, Esq.; and Esther Audu, Esq.
After reviewing the affidavits and written submissions, Justice Subilim ruled that the applicants had established sufficient grounds and granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the defendants. The court ordered that service be effected through publication in Leadership newspaper or any other national daily, as well as by pasting the processes at the JUAC office within the FCTA Secretariat, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The court deemed this mode of service valid and proper and adjourned the matter to January 26, 2026, for motion on notice.
Meanwhile, JUAC has vowed to continue the strike despite the court action. In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Holina Adejoh, the union commended workers for complying with the stay-at-home directive and insisted that the strike would continue until its demands are met.
“The union wishes to bring to the notice of all staff that the Minister of the FCTA has taken us to court,” the statement read, adding that JUAC would not be intimidated into suspending the industrial action.
Appealing for unity, the union urged workers to remain resolute and continue to stay away from work until further directives are issued.
