FCT unions dismiss Wike’s court order, insist strike remains on despite injunction

Trade unions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have firmly declared that their ongoing strike action remains in force, dismissing claims that a court order obtained by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has halted the industrial action.

The unions said the injunction secured at the National Industrial Court (NIC) was directed at only two individuals and not the trade unions as collective bodies, insisting that workers across the territory remain on strike.

In a statement clarifying the legal position, the unions said Wike did not institute any action against the trade unions themselves but sued two union leaders in their personal capacities.

“Minister Wike did not sue the striking trade unions at the National Industrial Court. He only sued two union leaders in their personal capacity,” the unions stated.

They added that the court merely granted an interlocutory injunction against the two named individuals.

“Today, Mr. Wike obtained an order of interlocutory injunction against two individual union leaders and not against the striking trade unions. Therefore, our strike continues,” the statement said.

The clarification followed reports suggesting that the court had ordered an end to the ongoing strike by FCT workers, claims the unions described as misleading and inconsistent with the actual proceedings.

Court documents seen by SaharaReporters show that the suit before the NIC, Abuja Judicial Division, was filed by the Minister of the FCT and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as claimants, against Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh as defendants.

The document, dated Tuesday, January 27, 2026, and signed by the registrar, indicated that the application sought “an order of injunction to restrain the defendants in the manner sought on the face of the motion paper.”

Justice E. D. Subilim granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants and others described in the order from further embarking on industrial action, strike, picketing, lock-out or other forms of disruption against the claimants.

The order also listed actions prohibited, including blocking roads, obstructing vehicular movement, shutting down operations, or otherwise disrupting the activities of the FCTA, and stated that it would remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.

Despite the wording of the order, the FCT trade unions maintained that the case was instituted against only two individuals and not against the unions as legal entities.

According to them, since the named defendants were sued in their personal capacities, no binding restraining order exists against the trade unions or the collective workforce in the FCT.

The unions cautioned workers against being intimidated or misled into suspending the strike based on what they described as a misinterpretation of the court process, insisting that the industrial action remains lawful and ongoing.

They reaffirmed that the strike would continue until their demands are met, stressing that portraying the injunction as a blanket order against all FCT workers is inaccurate.

The case has been adjourned to March 25, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice.