Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has taken the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to court over the ongoing strike by workers.
The suit marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026 was filed at the Abuja division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and is scheduled for hearing on Monday.
The workers began an indefinite strike on Monday over “authorities’ failure to address long-standing labour and welfare demands”.
The strike has led to the shutdown of activities across major government offices in Abuja.
Court documents show that the claimants in the suit are the FCT minister and the FCTA, while the defendants are Rifkatu Iortyer, president of JUAC, and Abdullahi Saleh, secretary-general of the union, sued in their representative capacities.
The case is being presided over by Emmanuel Subilim, judge of the national industrial court.
In the application, the minister and the FCTA are seeking an order restraining the unions and their agents from picketing, blocking roads, shutting offices, or engaging in any action capable of disrupting the activities of the FCT administration, its departmental heads, or political appointees.
They accused the unions of obstructing access to government offices and paralysing the smooth running of the administration.
At the hearing of the application, counsel to the claimants were present in court, while the defendants were absent.
Wike and the FCTA were represented by a team of senior lawyers, including Ogwu Onoja, M.A. Ebute, and George Ibrahim, all senior advocates of Nigeria, alongside K.O. Mustapha and Esther Audu.
After reviewing the affidavits and written submissions, Subilim ruled that the applicants had established sufficient grounds for the reliefs sought and granted leave for substituted service of court processes on the defendants.
In a ruling delivered on January 21, the court ordered that service be effected through publication in Leadership newspaper or any other national daily, as well as by pasting the processes at the JUAC office located at the FCTA secretariat, No. 1 Kapital Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The court held that the mode of service would be deemed valid and proper and adjourned the matter to January 26 for motion on notice.
Meanwhile, JUAC has vowed to continue the strike despite the legal challenge.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Holina Adejoh, publicity secretary, the union said workers should remain at home until further notice.
The union acknowledged the court action but said it would not be deterred, adding that it would not suspend the strike until its demands are met.