The National Industrial Court has scheduled Tuesday, 27 January 2026, to deliver its ruling on an application seeking to restrain workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from continuing their indefinite strike.
Presiding Judge, Justice Emmanuel Subilim, adjourned the matter following intense legal submissions from counsel representing both the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the striking workers.
The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was initiated by the Minister of the FCT and the FCTA (the claimants) against Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh (the defendants), who serve as the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC).
The Minister is seeking a court order to compel the workforce to resume duties, arguing that the industrial action has “crippled essential services” across the nation’s capital. Conversely, the workers maintain that the strike is a last resort following months of neglected welfare, including:
Salary Arrears: Alleged five months of unpaid wages, Promotion Backlog: Long-outstanding arrears from previous promotion exercises and Working Conditions: General grievances regarding the professional environment within the FCTA.
During Monday’s proceedings, a significant procedural debate emerged regarding the parties involved in the suit:
The Defence: Counsel to the respondents, Maxwell Okpara, moved an application to join the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as defendants. He argued that their inclusion was necessary to ensure any resulting court order would be binding on the broader labour movement.
The Claimants: James Onoja, SAN, representing the Minister, vehemently opposed the joinder. He contended that the suit was properly constituted against the two named individuals and noted that JUAC itself is not a registered entity under the Trade Union Act, thus making the joinder of national bodies unnecessary.
Justice Subilim ultimately declined the request to join the NLC and TUC at this stage, ruling that the court could not compel the claimants to add parties they did not originally list.
The legal battle coincides with a tightening of the strike’s grip on the city. On Monday, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) directed primary and secondary school teachers across the FCT to join the action in solidarity. Hundreds of workers were observed picketing the court premises in Area 11, carrying placards and chanting slogans demanding the payment of their entitlements.
The FCTA management has previously claimed to have met a majority of the workers’ demands, a claim the union leadership continues to dispute. With essential services, and now education, hanging in the balance, all eyes are on the National Industrial Court for its decision tomorrow.
