The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has moved to have striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) committed to prison for allegedly disobeying an order of the National Industrial Court directing them to suspend their industrial action.
The move followed the workers’ decision to resume their strike despite a court order issued on January 27, 2026, by Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi of the National Industrial Court, restraining them from continuing the action pending the determination of a suit instituted by the FCT Minister.
In a decisive legal step, Wike, through his counsel, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), obtained Form 48 — a statutory notice of consequence of disobedience of court order — to be served on the striking workers. The document warns that continued defiance of the court order could result in contempt proceedings and possible imprisonment.
Form 48, titled “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court,” states that unless the workers comply with the directives contained in the ruling delivered on January 27, they would be liable to be committed to prison for contempt of court. The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the National Industrial Court, Mr. Olajide Balogun.
Justice Sublimi had earlier ordered the FCTA workers to immediately suspend their industrial action after granting an application filed by the FCT Minister, seeking to compel them to return to work. The suit listed the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh, as respondents.
In his ruling, the judge held that once a trade dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, all forms of industrial action, including strikes, must be suspended. He cited Section 18(1)(e) of the Trade Dispute Act, noting that the commencement of a suit by originating summons amounts to a formal referral of the dispute to the court.
Justice Sublimi further warned that failure to comply with the provisions of the Act could attract sanctions, stressing that the public interest in maintaining industrial peace outweighs any inconvenience arising from the suspension of the strike.
Despite the order being served on the workers, they reportedly resumed the strike four days later, hinging their action on a notice of appeal filed at the Court of Appeal against the ruling. However, Wike’s legal team dismissed the justification, insisting that the filing of an appeal does not automatically stay the execution of a valid court order.
According to court documents filed by Onoja SAN, there is no express order staying the ruling of the Industrial Court, and as such, the workers have no legal basis to continue the strike. The senior lawyer warned that court orders are meant to be obeyed, emphasizing that disobedience undermines the rule of law and societal order.
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Justice Sublimi had adjourned the substantive matter to March 25, 2026, for hearing.
The industrial action, which began on January 19, 2026, by workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), led to the shutdown of activities across Abuja. The strike affected all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils and parastatals, with workers citing what they described as unmet demands by the Federal Government.
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