The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja, has ordered workers on the payroll of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to immediately suspend their ongoing strike action.
Delivering a ruling on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Subilim, held that although the dispute before the court constituted a trade dispute, the workers’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute under the law.
Justice Subilim ruled that once a labour dispute has been referred to the National Industrial Court, any industrial action connected to the matter must cease pending the court’s final determination.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the claimants and representatives from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimant,” the judge ruled.
He added that, “The order shall remain in force, pending the determination of this suit.”
The ruling followed a suit filed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration after workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) commenced an indefinite strike last week, citing the authorities’ failure to address long-standing labour and welfare demands.
The strike action led to the shutdown of activities across major government offices in Abuja, disrupting public services within the Federal Capital Territory.
In response, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, approached the court seeking an order restraining the unions from continuing the industrial action.
The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was filed at the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
Boluwatife Enome
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