₦airaland Forum

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, has granted an interlocutory injunction filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration, compelling workers under the Joint Union Action Committee to suspend their ongoing strike.

The claimants had dragged the Chairman of the Joint Union Action Committee, Rifkatu Iortyer, and the Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, before the court in suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, seeking an order restraining the defendants and their agents from embarking on any industrial action, picketing or lockout.

Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute and had met the required legal conditions, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.

“The defendant’s right to an industrial action is not absolute, but as circumscribed by law,” he said.

He ruled that workers were prohibited from participating in a strike once a dispute had been referred to the National Industrial Court, adding that where such a strike was already ongoing, it must cease pending the determination of the case.

Justice Subilim said the claimants had established a compelling case that warranted the granting of the order for the workers to suspend the ongoing strike.

“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.

“This includes but is not limited to actions aimed at crippling operations, blocking roads, obstructing the flow of vehicular movement… or by any means frustrating their business activities. This order shall remain in force, pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons filed in this suit,” Justice Subilim said.

The court adjourned the matter until March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.

Counsel for the claimants, James Onoja, SAN, hailed the court’s decision to grant the order suspending the workers’ strike, stating that the ruling would give both parties an opportunity to engage in discussions.

He, however, appealed to the unions to obey the court order and return to work, while also allowing room for mediation.

“We commend the court for making an order for the stopping of the strike, restraining the workers from going on strike, or continuing with 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, because to me, it’s like a family matter, and this is an opportunity that the Union should take,” he said.

Counsel for the respondents, Maxwell Opara, described the workers as law-abiding citizens, adding that he would advise the unions to respect the court order.

“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.

“Now that we are in court, we are going to do the formal application. So, we are going to comply with the ruling whichever way, whether it is effective, whether it is ineffective, we must comply with it,” Opara said.

Meanwhile, JUAC President, Rifkatu Iortyer, said the workers would comply with the order, call off the strike and immediately return to work, 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 stated.

bcomputer101:
Nigeria Judiciary is losing her relevance
What kind of nonsense is this?

ngmgeek:
Let's hope they will listen and suspend the strike

ngmgeek:
Let's hope they will listen and suspend the strike

callthefred:
Some clowns are happy the workers are on strike so they can blame Wike and Tinubu. Well there you have it. Both the govt and workers will reach a compromise and life returns to normal.

callthefred:
Some clowns are happy the workers are on strike so they can blame Wike and Tinubu. Well there you have it. Both the govt and workers will reach a compromise and life returns to normal.

U09ce:
They can build multi-billion Naira roads and structures but can't pay the paltry sums owed workers.

ngmgeek:
Let's hope they will listen and suspend the strike

anonimi:
FCT Teacher’s Strike: The unfolding crisis that has kept Abuja’s children out of school for months

The industrial action is the third in a series since late 2024.

ByQosim SuleimanandZainab Adewale July 2, 2025 Reading Time: 4 mins read
For over three months, public primary school pupils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been out of the classroom due to a teachers’ strike.

The industrial action has seen multiple suspensions and resumptions and is the third since late 2024.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/north-central/804767-fct-teachers-strike-the-unfolding-crisis-that-has-kept-abujas-children-out-of-school-for-months.html?tztc=1

ngmgeek:
Let's hope they will listen and suspend the strike

callthefred:
Some clowns are happy the workers are on strike so they can blame Wike and Tinubu. Well there you have it. Both the govt and workers will reach a compromise and life returns to normal.