Tension remains high within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) public service as workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have refused to resume duties, despite a court order directing them to suspend their industrial action.
The standoff follows an interlocutory injunction issued on Tuesday by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, which granted reliefs sought by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration.
The court order directed members of the Joint Union Action Committee to immediately halt their strike pending the determination of the substantive suit. However, while workers say they are no longer officially on strike, they insist they will not return to their offices.
“We Are Not on Strike, We Are at Home”
On Tuesday, aggrieved workers gathered and voiced their position in clear terms: compliance with the court order does not mean a return to work.
One FCTA staff member, speaking anonymously, said the workers had chosen to stay in their homes as a form of protest until their demands are addressed.
“Let them open the gate wide. We are in our houses. No wahala. We are no longer on strike,” the worker said.
“Tell them Wike has won. Let them open all the gates. We are going to remain in our houses. When they meet our demands, we will come back to work.”
The worker added that the decision was driven by concerns for safety, dignity, and respect, insisting that workers would not engage in any physical confrontation with authorities.
Workers Cite Dignity, Safety, and Respect
According to the protesting staff, the action is not about defying the court but about protecting their welfare and asserting their rights as workers and residents of the FCT.
“We are not struggling with them. The life of every FCTA staff matters to us,” the worker said.
“They have the gun, the power and the resources, but the people’s power is more than their own.”
The workers described themselves as “gallant FCTA workers,” stressing that they deserve respect and fair treatment in their place of work. Some also framed the issue in broader terms, saying they should not feel like second-class citizens in the nation’s capital.
Background: Court Order and Legal Context
The injunction followed a suit filed by the FCT Minister and the FCT Administration against leaders of the Joint Union Action Committee, seeking to restrain workers from embarking on or continuing industrial action.
In granting the order, the court held that while the dispute qualifies as a trade dispute, workers are prohibited from striking once the matter has been referred to the National Industrial Court. Any ongoing strike, the court ruled, must cease until the case is fully determined.
The ruling effectively placed the dispute within the control of the judiciary, limiting the scope for continued industrial action under Nigerian labour law.
Why This Matters
The unfolding situation highlights a growing challenge in labour relations: the gap between legal compliance and practical resolution of workers’ grievances.
While the government has secured a legal victory, the workers’ decision to remain at home raises questions about service delivery, enforcement of court orders, and the effectiveness of judicial interventions in resolving labour disputes without addressing underlying grievances.
For Abuja residents, prolonged absence of FCTA workers could disrupt essential administrative services, adding to public frustration.
What Happens Next
With workers insisting they are off strike but absent from work, attention now shifts to how the FCT Administration will respond. Options include renewed dialogue with labour leaders, enforcement measures, or further legal steps.
Observers say a negotiated settlement may be the fastest path to restoring normalcy, as continued tension risks deepening mistrust between the workforce and the FCT authorities.
For now, Abuja’s civil service remains in limbo—caught between a court order and a workforce that says it will only return when its demands are met.
VIDEO: Irate FCTA workers insist they won’t call off strike despite court order https://t.co/9sVDqeN8om pic.twitter.com/ovqdnAms1p
— TheCable (@thecableng) January 27, 2026
