The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has fixed today, Monday, January 26, for the hearing of a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, challenging the legality of the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim fixed the date in a hearing notice issued by the court, following a suit instituted by Mr. Wike against the industrial action being coordinated by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) of the aggrieved workers.
The hearing notice has been served on the leadership of the workers, as well as the legal team engaged by the FCT minister, led by Mr. Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), compelling their appearance in court today.
Mr. Wike, through Mr. Onoja of the Bar and Bench Chambers, Abuja, dragged the striking workers before the court, seeking an order to halt the strike action. The minister argued that a significant portion of the workers’ demands had already been met, rendering the continued strike unnecessary and illegal.
The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, lists Mr. Wike and the FCTA as plaintiffs, while the defendants are the JUAC president, Ms. Rifkatu Iortyer, and the secretary-general, Mr. Abdullahi Saleh, who are sued in their representative capacities.
Workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) commenced an indefinite strike last Monday, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the minister to address their demands.
The industrial action led to the shutdown of operations at the FCTA secretariat last week, prompting the minister to seek judicial intervention for the resolution of the dispute.
In the suit, Mr. Wike and the FCTA are seeking an order restraining the unions and their agents from engaging in picketing, obstruction, lockouts, or any action directed at the plaintiffs, departmental heads, and political appointees.
They accused the unions of blocking roads, shutting offices, and disrupting the smooth running of the FCT administration.
At the last court proceedings, counsel to Mr. Wike and the FCTA were present, while lawyers representing the workers were absent, having not been served with the relevant court processes at the time.
The minister and the FCTA were represented by a team of senior lawyers, including Mr. Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Mr. Moses Ameh Ebute (SAN), Mr. George Ibrahim (SAN), Mr. K. O. Mustapha, and Ms. Esther Audu.
To ensure the workers’ appearance in court, Justice Subilim ordered substituted service, allowing the plaintiffs to serve court processes through newspaper publication and by pasting them at the gate of the FCTA secretariat at No. 1 Kapital Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The judge ruled that the substituted service would be deemed valid and proper for today’s proceedings.
Meanwhile, the JUAC president, Ms. Iortyer, and the secretary-general, Mr. Saleh, have confirmed receipt of the court summons and stated that they would be in court with their legal team to defend the action.
