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 court hearing on Monday.
Workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) commenced an indefinite strike on Monday following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum, shutting down activities across major government offices in Abuja.
The industrial action grounded operations at the FCTA Secretariat, forcing 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, the unions rejected the assertion, insisting that key 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. The case, with suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, is being presided over 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 its Secretary General, Abdullahi Saleh, sued in their representative capacities.
According to the court filings, the minister and the FCTA are seeking an order restraining the unions and their agents from picketing, blocking access, obstructing offices, or engaging in any action capable of disrupting the smooth running of the FCT administration.
The unions were accused of blocking roads, shutting offices and disrupting official activities within the territory.
At the hearing of the application, counsel for the claimants were present in court, while the defendants were absent. The minister and the FCTA were represented by a team of senior lawyers, including Ogwu Onoja (SAN), M.A. Ebute (SAN), George Ibrahim (SAN), K.O. Mustapha and Esther Audu.
After reviewing the affidavits and written submissions, Justice Subilim ruled that the applicants had established sufficient grounds for the reliefs sought and granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the defendants.
In a ruling delivered on January 21, 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 located at the FCTA Secretariat, No. 1 Kapital Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The judge ruled that this mode of service would be deemed valid and proper.
“Having listened to counsel for applicants and taking a close look at the reliefs, the affidavit and the written address thereto, I am of the view that the applicant has established a case to warrant the granting of the reliefs sought,” Justice Subilim said.
The matter was adjourned to January 26, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.
Meanwhile, JUAC has vowed to continue the strike action despite the court case. In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Holina Adejoh, the union leadership commended workers for complying with the strike directive.
“We sincerely appreciate you for complying with the directive to stay at home. The strike action continues until our demands are met,” the statement said.
The union confirmed it was aware of the lawsuit, adding, “The union wishes to bring to the notice of all staff that the Minister of the FCTA has taken us to court.”
JUAC insisted it would not be intimidated into suspending the strike, declaring that it would not “succumb to any form of intimidation or harassment.”
Appealing for unity among workers, the union urged continued compliance with the strike directive, asking members to remain at home until further instructions are issued.
