The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, has ordered workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to suspend their ongoing strike action.
The order followed the granting of an interlocutory injunction filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration against members of the Joint Union Action Committee.
In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, the claimants had dragged the Chairman of the Joint Union Action Committee, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, before the court, seeking an order restraining the union and its agents from embarking on any industrial action, picketing or lockout.
Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that although the case constituted a trade dispute and met the required legal conditions, the right of workers to embark on industrial action was not absolute.
The judge ruled that once a dispute had been referred to the National Industrial Court, workers were prohibited from continuing with a strike. He added that where a strike was already in progress, it must be suspended pending the determination of the case.
Justice Subilim consequently granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants and their representatives from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimants.
“The order shall remain in force pending the determination of this suit,” the judge ruled.
The court adjourned the matter until March 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.
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