Today’s Big Day: Court Ruling Looms In FCTA Vs JUAC Case

According to reports, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja is set to deliver a ruling today in the case filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration (FCTA) against the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) over a prolonged strike that has disrupted key government offices in the capital.

The matter, heard before Justice E.D. Subilim, was adjourned on Monday after both parties concluded their arguments. In suit number NICN/ABJ/17/2026, the FCTA named JUAC Chairman Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary Abdullahi Umar Saleh as defendants, seeking an interlocutory injunction to halt further industrial action, picketing, or office lockouts.

The strike, which began last Monday following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum, has paralyzed operations across major FCTA offices, including the FCTA Secretariat, where security operatives were deployed to control access. While the FCTA claims most worker demands have been addressed, JUAC maintains that “core issues remain unresolved.”

During Monday’s hearing, counsel for JUAC, Maxwell Opara, urged the court to dismiss the FCTA’s application, arguing that granting the injunction would effectively decide the substantive case prematurely. Citing a Supreme Court ruling in Opara Agwu & Anor v. Julius Berger Plc, Opara warned that forcing workers back to their posts while salaries remain unpaid could be hazardous. He also recommended that the FCT minister engage in arbitration before any strike is halted.

Counsel for the FCTA, James Onoja (SAN), contended that JUAC lacked legal recognition under both the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and the Trade Union Act, rendering the strike illegal. He stated, “The people who called the strike are an illegal body. JUAC is not registered under the Trade Union Act, and because of that, they cannot call a strike.”

Opara countered, noting that the union had sent 11 letters to the minister outlining grievances and requesting mediation. He criticized the FCTA for pursuing court action instead of alternative dispute resolution, stating, “This time, the minister is wasting court time trying to intimidate workers. We established that the matter should have been referred to mediation.”

He further explained that the FCTA’s inclusion of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in the suit was inappropriate, arguing that only JUAC’s president and secretary were directly involved, while other affiliated bodies had joined in solidarity as necessary parties.

The court has adjourned the matter to January 27 for the ruling on the injunction application.