Organised labour has vowed to sustain the industrial strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), rejecting a court injunction and accusing FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the National Industrial Court (NIC) of acting in bad faith.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the action on January 28, 2026 remains lawful despite a court order obtained by Wike aimed at curbing the strike.
In a joint statement signed by Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, and Comrade Nuhu A. Toro, Secretary General of the TUC, the unions condemned what they described as “shabby treatment” of FCTA workers and alleged intimidation, harassment and insults by the FCT administration and the judiciary. They argued that the interlocutory injunction obtained at the National Industrial Court in Abuja targeted only two individual union leaders and not the entire striking workforce, and therefore does not legally halt the broader strike action.
The unions stressed that unresolved complaints — including unpaid wage awards and promotion arrears, non‑remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions, and what they called “persistent threats” from authorities — justified continued industrial action. “Workers cannot be made slaves in their country,” the statement said, urging colleagues to “keep fighting for your rights” and maintain morale in the face of pressure.
Labour leaders also took aim at the judiciary, praising what they termed honest judges but warning against “cash‑and‑carry judges” whose rulings, they said, could damage public trust and social cohesion. The unions insisted that the strike would continue “until the Minister of FCT comes off his high horse and negotiates with the workers,” framing the dispute as part of a broader struggle for fair treatment and respect for worker rights.