Court orders FCT workers to suspend strike

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja has granted an interlocutory injunction sought by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the FCT Administration, directing workers under the Joint Union Action Committee to halt their ongoing strike.

The injunction followed a suit filed by the FCT minister and the administration against Rifkatu Iortyer, chairman of the Joint Union Action Committee, and Abdullahi Umar Saleh, its secretary, in suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026.

The claimants asked the court to restrain the defendants, their agents and affiliates from embarking on industrial action, picketing or any form of lockout while the dispute remains before the court.

Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, E.D. Subilim, judge of the National Industrial Court, held that although the dispute qualified as a trade dispute under the law, the right to strike is not without limitation.

The judge ruled that once a dispute has been referred to the National Industrial Court, workers are barred from continuing any industrial action until the matter is resolved.

E.D. Subilim further held that where a strike is already in progress at the time of referral, such action must be suspended pending the determination of the suit.

“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the claimants and representatives… from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimant. The order shall remain in force, pending the determination of this suit,” the judge said.

The court adjourned the matter to March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.