There was tension in Abuja on Monday as workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), supported by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), staged a protest over unresolved labour issues, forcing the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to reportedly exit the secretariat through a back gate.
The workers picketed both the FCTA Secretariat and the National Industrial Court as part of an ongoing total and indefinite strike declared by organised labour. The action is aimed at pressing home demands over welfare, conditions of service, and what the unions described as repeated violations of workers’ rights.
Protesters were seen confronting armed anti-riot police officers stationed at the main gate of the minister’s office, insisting that the minister be removed. The situation became more charged when news filtered through the crowd that Wike had allegedly left the premises through an alternative exit.
Angered by the development, the protesters reportedly chased after the minister’s convoy in an attempt to catch up with it, chanting repeatedly “Ole! Ole!! Ole!!!“ as they moved through the area.
The protest followed a directive from the NLC, which threw its full weight behind the industrial action. The labour centre described the strike as justified, citing long-standing grievances and unresolved disputes between FCTA workers and the administration.