The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reacted to the ongoing strike by unions under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in Abuja, saying the FCT Administration remains open to dialogue but will not bow to intimidation or blackmail.
Speaking on Tuesday, Wike said representatives of the unions had already met with the management of the FCT Administration and that genuine grievances would be addressed through discussion.
However, the minister warned that attempts to compel the government through threats or coercion would not be entertained. He said the administration was willing to negotiate legitimate concerns but would resist what he described as pressure tactics.
“We are well disposed to dialogue. They have met with the management. If there are genuine issues, we will talk. But if it is intimidation or blackmail, we will not agree,” Wike said.
His remarks come amid the industrial action that has disrupted activities across the Federal Capital Territory, as the unions push for the resolution of outstanding demands.
Wike’s comments also follow a recent court ruling on the strike. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, ordered workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) to suspend the strike action.
Justice E.D. Subilim granted an interlocutory injunction filed by the FCT Minister and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, restraining JUAC and its leadership from continuing the industrial action.
The FCT Administration had taken the Chairman of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, to court, seeking an order restraining them and their members from embarking on or continuing any industrial action, including picketing or lockouts.
In his ruling on Tuesday, Justice Subilim held that while the matter qualified as a trade dispute, the right to strike was not absolute. He ruled that once a trade dispute had been referred to the National Industrial Court, workers were prohibited from embarking on or continuing strike action pending the determination of the case.
The court adjourned the matter to March 23, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
