Striking unions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have persisted with their industrial action despite a court order directing them to return to work.
Recall that the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA workers under the Joint Union Action Committee, JUAC on January 19 began an indefinite strike over unresolved welfare concerns.
JUAC embarked on the industrial action to appeal for urgent action to resolve the welfare issues affecting their “morale and productivity”.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, joined the strike on Monday in solidarity with their counterparts at the FCTA and the FCDA.
Among other things, the workers are demanding for the payment of five-month wage awards, outstanding 2023 and 2024 promotion arrears; full payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance and 22 months’ rural allowance for health workers.
Other demands include remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions; stoppage of intimidation of workers; improved staff welfare and working conditions.
The National Industrial Court in Abuja had on Tuesday ordered the FCTA workers to suspend the strike pending further hearing in a suit brought by the FCT authorities to stop the industrial action.
Judge Emmanuel Subilim issued the order in a ruling on an application filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCTA.
A court document sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday shows that the suit has Wike and FCTA as claimants, while the leaders of the striking unions, Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh are defendants.
The document, dated Tuesday, 27th January, 2026, and signed by the Registrar, indicated that the application before the court was for “an Order of injunction to restrain the Defendants in the manner sought on the face of the Motion paper”.
Despite the order of the industrial court, the FCT workers are yet to resume work.
A check by Daily Post on Wednesday showed that most healthcare facilities and schools across the Bwari Area Council are still under lock and key.
Students at the Government Day Secondary School, Dutse Alhaji, Junior Secondary School, Ushafa and LEA Primary School, Ushafa were asked to go home as early as 8 am.
An official at the Ushafa LEA Primary school told Daily Post on condition of anonymity that there was no memo indicating that the strike has been called off.
According to him, the court order only mandated the union leaders to resume and not the entire workers.
“The order was only for Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh and I believe they have resumed”, he said.
Those who declared strike have resumed – Wike’s media aide, Olayinka
When contacted by Daily Post on Wednesday, Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media to the FCT Minister said those who declared the strike have resumed.
According to him, workers who are yet to resume may not have been properly informed on suspension of the strike.
He said, “The strike was not declared by the NUT. Those who declared the strike have resumed. They were in their offices today.
“If other people have not resumed, maybe they have not gotten the correct information. I’m sure that by tomorrow (today) they should be at work”.
