The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approached the National Industrial Court to commit striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to prison over alleged disobedience to court orders.
The workers resumed their strike despite a January 27 court order stopping industrial action until the determination of a suit instituted against them by the FCT Minister.
To demonstrate his opposition to the workers’ disregard for court orders, Wike obtained Form 48, a legal document detailing the consequences of violating the court order, to be served on the striking employees.
The form 48 was obtained by Dr Ogwu James Onoja, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of Bar and Bench Chambers in Abuja, on behalf of Wike, to compel the workers to obey court orders or face imprisonment as stipulated by law.
The document, titled “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court,” warns that contempt charges would follow.
It reads: “Take note that unless you obey the directions contained in the order of Honourable Justice E. D Sublimi of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria delivered on the 27th day of January 2026, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the Industrial Court, Mr Olajide Balogun.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi of the National Industrial Court had on January 27 ordered FCTA workers to suspend their industrial action pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons issued against them by Wike.
The order followed an application by the FCT Minister through Ogwu James Onoja SAN, seeking a court ruling compelling the striking workers to return to work.
In the suit, the FCT Minister listed the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh, as respondents.
Justice Sublimi emphasised that industrial action, including strikes, must be suspended once a dispute has been referred to the National Industrial Court.
Citing Section 18(1)E of the Trade Dispute Act, the judge noted that suspension ensures proper resolution of disputes, adding that ongoing strikes must halt once a suit is commenced via originating summons.
He further stated that failure to comply with Section 18 of the Act may attract sanctions, emphasising that the public interest in maintaining industrial peace outweighs any inconvenience caused by suspending the strike.
Despite the court order, four days later, the workers have yet to comply. The striking workers cited a notice of appeal filed at the Court of Appeal against Justice Sublimi’s ruling as justification for resuming their action.
Wike’s legal team rejected this claim, maintaining that “unless there is an express order of court staying the execution of Industrial Court ruling, the workers have no basis to resume the strike” and advising them “to be law abiding citizens avoid incurring the wrath of court.”
The senior lawyer added in court papers: “Court orders are not made in vain. They are made to be obeyed for sanity to prevail in the society.”
After granting the restraining order against the strike, Justice Sublimi adjourned the substantive matter to March 25, 2026, for hearing.
The FCTA and Federal Capital Development Authority workers commenced the strike on January 19, shutting down activities across Abuja over what they described as “unmet demands” by the Federal Government. The industrial action affected all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals under FCTA.
