The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday warned striking staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to return to work immediately or face legal action.
His warning follows a National Industrial Court ruling ordering an end to the strike that has disrupted public services in Abuja for over a week.
Addressing journalists shortly after the court’s decision, Wike insisted that the rule of law must prevail and accused political actors of exploiting the industrial action for motives unrelated to workers’ welfare.
“The administration was already in the process of mediation when some politicians hijacked the strike,” he said, adding that several of the workers’ demands were “frivolous” and either unreasonable or already addressed.
Wike stated that the FCTA contacted the court after finding that the strike had been “hijacked by politicians,” despite continuous dialogue and consideration of a significant number of workers’ concerns.
He emphasized the administration’s efforts to improve employee welfare, including compensation increases and civil service reforms.
The minister said that more than N12 billion had recently been cleared for the payment of January salary to FCTA employees, citing the move as evidence of the government’s commitment to its personnel.
Wike pointed to better revenue performance under his leadership, stating that the FCT had generated more than N30 billion in domestically generated revenue, a significant increase over prior years.
He called on the workers to recognize reforms implemented by the administration, including the establishment of the Civil Service Commission and infrastructure investments across the territory.
“Workers are largely responsible for the lack of development in states, including the FCT,” he said.
Wike refuted circulating reports suggesting he had been forced out of his office during protests linked to the strike.
“I was never chased out of the office,” he said, explaining that he had merely stepped out to see President Bola Tinubu off at the airport.
Taking a firm stance, the minister warned against further disruptions of government operations.
“Anyone who dares to lock the gates again will be made a scapegoat, because the law must be obeyed.”
He claimed that some senior public service officials had played a role in sustaining the strike, stating that select directors were pushing the action, but that this would not prevent the administration from taking the appropriate action.
Wike emphasized that collaboration between workers and the government did not necessitate direct access to him.
“Seeing me in person is not a right,” he said, noting that workers’ representatives had been in discussions with management throughout the dispute.
He continued by warning that employees who did not comply with the court order and resume their responsibilities immediately would face legal prosecution, indicating a harder enforcement phase as the FCTA works to restore full public services.
Workers at the FCTA, working under the Joint Union Action Committee, went on indefinite strike on January 19 due to unresolved welfare problems.
Wike filed an application with the National Industrial Court, and the court ordered an interlocutory injunction to stop the strike.
On January 21, Justice E.D. Subilim approved the order and adjourned the matter to March 23, 2026, for the substantive hearing.
In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Subilim stated that the defendants’ right to strike was not absolute.
“The defendant’s right to an industrial action is not absolute but as circumscribed by law,” he said. He prohibited workers from participating in the strike once a dispute had been referred to the court and ordered that any ongoing strike must cease pending determination.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the defendants and respondents, their agents, representatives… together with all other members of the Joint Unions Action Committee… from further embarking on any industrial action, strike, picketing, lockout, or any other form of obstruction against the claimant, parastatals, and political appointees,” the judge added.
Counsel for the claimants, James Onoja (SAN), applauded the court’s decision, urging the unions to obey the order and return to work while allowing room for mediation.
“We commend the court for making an order for the stopping of the strike… I think this is commendable because it is going to allow the parties to discuss. Our plea to the Union is that they should allow industrial harmony. They should go back to work and allow for mediation,” Onoja said.
Maxwell Opara, counsel for the respondents, described the workers as law-abiding people and advised the unions to follow the court’s ruling.
“The workers are law-abiding citizens. We are going to advise them to respect the court. The one good thing is that the court has also mandated that we commence mediation, not as a matter of advice, in line with the law… we must comply with it,” Opara said.
Rifkatu Iortyer, President of the JUAC, affirmed that workers will comply, end the strike, and return to work immediately while continuing to “push for other things.”
“We are law-abiding citizens, and because they have said we should return to work, we are returning to work, pending our next appearance,” she said.
