The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, has ordered workers in the Federal Capital Territory to immediately halt their ongoing strike following an interlocutory injunction granted in favour of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration.
The order, delivered on Tuesday, restrains members of the Joint Union Action Committee from continuing any form of industrial action pending the determination of a suit before the court.
The development followed an application brought before the court by the FCT Administration after the strike action was declared by workers under the Joint Union Action Committee, prompting legal intervention to prevent further disruption of public services within the nation’s capital.
The suit, numbered NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was instituted against the Chairman of the Joint Union Action Committee, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, who were cited as representatives of the workers involved in the industrial action against the FCT Administration under the supervision of the FCT Minister.
In the application, the claimants argued that the continuation of the strike amounted to a violation of established labour laws, insisting that once a trade dispute had been formally referred to the National Industrial Court, parties were barred from embarking on or sustaining industrial action.
The court was urged to restrain the defendants and their agents from picketing, striking, or initiating any form of work stoppage. In his ruling, Justice E.D. Subilim held that while the dispute qualified as a trade dispute and satisfied procedural requirements, the right to strike was not unlimited.
He ruled that workers were legally prohibited from continuing a strike once a matter had been brought before the National Industrial Court, ordering that the ongoing action must stop pending the resolution of the case.
Justice Subilim, speaking for the court, emphasized that the authority of the National Industrial Court in trade disputes must be respected, noting that adherence to due process was essential to maintaining industrial harmony and the uninterrupted delivery of public services.
The court further cautioned labor unions and public sector workers against resorting to self-help once disputes are before a court of competent jurisdiction, stressing that all parties must comply with existing labor regulations and judicial processes.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit, with the court making it clear that any violation of the injunction could attract further legal consequences while the case remains pending.
