The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, has ordered workers in the Federal Capital Territory to suspend their ongoing strike following an interlocutory injunction granted in favour of the FCT Administration and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The order followed a suit filed by the FCT Administration against the leadership of the Joint Union Action Committee, seeking to restrain the union and its officials from embarking on industrial action while the matter is before the court.
Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that although the dispute qualified as a trade dispute under the law, the right of workers to embark on a strike was not absolute once the matter had been referred to the National Industrial Court.
The judge ruled that workers were barred from continuing any industrial action after a dispute had been formally brought before the court and ordered that the ongoing strike be suspended pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“The defendants and their agents are hereby restrained from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimant pending the determination of this suit,” Justice Subilim ruled.
The court adjourned the case until March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive matter.
