*Minister, FCTA Hire 3 SANS, 2 Others
*Workers Unfazed
By Felix Durumbah, Abuja
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has headed to the National Industrial Court (NIC) over the ongoing indefinite strike by the about 40,000 workers of FCT Administration (FCTA).
The industrial action, which began on Monday, 19 January, and entered its fourth day today, has completely paralyzed activities in FCTA.
Field reports said the strike has so crippled official activities that even the Minister was not able to work from his office located within FCTA’s headquarters on 1 Kapital Road, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
While the unhappy workers, organized under their umbrella Joint Unions Action Congress (JUAC), led by Mrs Rifkatu Iortyer, are demanding for better conditions of service under an 18-point list of demands long forwarded to the Administration, the latter claimed it has implemented “10 of 14 demands” – a position hotly contested by the union.
When the Minister ordered security personnel to assist those workers who opt to return to work, there emerged no compliance by the workforce to such offer –a move interpreted by watchers of FCTA developments as a mark of confidence in labour’s course of action and thumb-down on the Minister.
With no end seemingly in sight to the apparent impasse, the Minister and the Administration approached the NIC for adjudication.
People&Politics which sighted a certified true copy (CTC) of documents from the NIC, notes that the Claimants in the matter are Minister of FCT (first Claimant) and FCTA (second Claimant) while the Defendants are Iyorter (first Defendant) and Abdullahi Umar Saleh (Secretary of JUAC, as second Claimant).
To prosecute the case against the employees, the Claimants hired a legal team comprising three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and two other legal practitioners.
They are Dr. Ogwu J. Onoja, SAN; M.A. Ebute, SAN; George Ibrahim, SAN; K.O. Mustapha, Esq., and Esther Audu, Esq.
Wike alluded to the strike and alleged picketing, obstruction and shutdown of government activities,in the suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, and filed before Justice E.D. Subilim.
The Claimants prayed the court to issue a restraining order on the union and their agents from engaging in picketing, lockouts or any form of action targeted at the claimants, heads of departments and political appointees.
Furthermore, they accused the unions of attempting to cripple FCTA’s activities by allegedly blocking and obstructing the free flow of vehicular movement, shutting down offices and frustrating the Administration “by any means whatsoever.”
According to the Claimants, in their originating summons, JUAC’s actions, if unchecked, could lead to a total breakdown of administrative and economic activities within the nation’s capital, thus negatively affecting residents and the general public.
Counsel to the claimants appeared before the court, while the defendants were absent,at the court hearing.
After listening to submissions from counsel to the applicants and carefully examining the reliefs sought, the supporting affidavit and the written address, Subilim ruled that the applicants had established a case warranting the granting of the prayers before the court.
Justice Subilim therefore, granted leave to the claimants to serve the originating processes and all subsequent court processes on the defendants by substituted means.
To this end, the court ordered that service be effected by advertising or publishing the processes in Leadership Newspaper or any other national daily newspaper circulating in Nigeria, as well as by pasting the processes at the premises of JUAC located at the FCTA Secretariat, No. 1 Kapital Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
Thereafter, he adjourned the case to 27 January 26, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.
But, these actions appeared not to shake the resolve of the workers as they insisted on staying at home till their grievances are resolved by the Administration.
JUAC, which reacted to the court matter, asked the staff members to continue to stay at home.
A circular sighted by People&Politics rallied the workers to remain resolute and united till victory is won.
