The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, has fixed today (Tuesday) for ruling on a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration against leaders of the Joint Union Action Committee.
Justice E.D. Subilim adjourned the matter after hearing arguments from counsel for the parties.
The claimants had dragged the JUAC Chairman, Rifkatu Iortyer, and the Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, before the court in suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from embarking on any industrial action, picketing or lockout.
The ongoing strike, which began last Monday after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum, has paralysed activities across major FCTA offices in Abuja, including the FCTA Secretariat, where security operatives were deployed to restrict access.
Despite claims by the FCTA management that most of the workers’ demands had been met, the JUAC dismissed the assertions, insisting that core issues remained unresolved.
At the hearing on Monday, counsel for the workers’ union, Maxwell Opara, urged the court to dismiss the motion, arguing that the reliefs sought would amount to determining the substantive suit at the interlocutory stage.
Opara cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Opara Agwu & Anor v. Julius Berger Plc, insisting that directing workers to resume work while salaries remained unpaid was risky. He also urged the court to consider arbitration, compelling the FCT minister to attend.
Justice Subilim subsequently adjourned the matter until January 27 for ruling.
Following the court proceedings, counsel for the claimants, James Onoja (SAN), told journalists that the defendants lacked “juristic personality,” arguing that the union was neither recognised under the Companies and Allied Matters Act nor the Trade Union Act, and was therefore an illegal body.
“The people who called the strike are an illegal body. JUAC is not registered under the Trade Union Act, and because of that, they cannot call a strike. So, this strike is illegal. That is our contention, and that is what we are arguing before the court.
“The most important thing is that we are talking about a government that is ready to listen. The mediation was going on, and they came to court, and then there are processes to be followed before you declare a strike. That process was not followed,” he stated.
