The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja has ordered workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to suspend their ongoing strike following a suit filed by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration.
The court granted an interlocutory injunction restraining members of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) from continuing the industrial action. The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was instituted against the JUAC Chairman, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh.
In their application, the FCT Minister and the FCT Administration asked the court to bar the union leaders and their members from embarking on any strike, picketing, or lockout pending the determination of the case.
Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that while the matter qualified as a trade dispute and met the required legal conditions, the right of workers to strike is not absolute.
The judge explained that once a dispute is brought before the National Industrial Court, workers are legally restrained from engaging in industrial action. He added that where a strike is already ongoing, it must be suspended until the court concludes the matter.
Justice Subilim consequently granted the interlocutory injunction, directing the union and its representatives to halt all industrial actions against the FCT Administration pending the final determination of the suit.
The court fixed March 23, 2026, for the substantive hearing of the case.
