Court orders FCT Workers to call off strike and resume duties

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration to immediately suspend their ongoing strike and return to work.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, who held that allowing the workers to continue the industrial action while the issues in dispute are already before the court would amount to resorting to self-help.

The court noted that although workers in the FCT have a constitutional right to embark on industrial action, that right is not absolute.

Justice Subilim referenced Section 18(1)(b) of the Trade Dispute Act, stressing that workers cannot lawfully embark on a strike over a matter that has already been referred to the National Industrial Court for adjudication.

He ruled that where a strike has already commenced on issues currently before the court, such action must cease.

Consequently, the court ordered the protesting workers to immediately call off the strike and resume duties at their respective posts.

The ruling followed a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alongside the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

Listed as defendants in the case, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, are the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress, Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh.

The workers had embarked on the strike over alleged unresolved welfare issues, including five months of unpaid salaries, outstanding promotion arrears, and poor working conditions within the FCT.