By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has approached the National Industrial Court seeking an order to commit striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to prison for alleged disobedience of a subsisting court order.
The move followed the workers’ resumption of industrial action despite an order of the court issued on January 27, directing them to suspend the strike pending the determination of a suit instituted against them by the FCT Minister.
To enforce compliance with the court’s directive, the minister has obtained Form 48 — a statutory legal notice outlining the consequences of disobeying a court order — which is to be served on the striking workers. The document signals the commencement of contempt proceedings should the alleged disobedience persist.
The Form 48 was procured by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, of Bar and Bench Chambers, Abuja, on behalf of the FCT Minister. The notice, titled “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court,” warns that failure to comply with the order of the National Industrial Court would render the recipients liable to committal to prison.
It reads in part: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in the order of Honourable Justice E. D. Sublimi of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria delivered on the 27th day of January 2026, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the National Industrial Court, Mr. Olajide Balogun.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi had, on January 27, ordered the workers of the FCTA to suspend their industrial action following an application by the FCT Minister seeking an order compelling them to return to work. The judge directed that the strike be halted pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons filed against the unions.
In the suit, the minister listed the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh, as respondents.
Justice Sublimi held that once a trade dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, all industrial actions, including strikes, must be suspended. Relying on Section 18(1)(e) of the Trade Disputes Act, the court ruled that the filing of an originating summons constitutes a referral of the dispute, thereby mandating an immediate halt to any ongoing strike.
The judge warned that non-compliance with the provisions of the Act could attract sanctions, stressing that public interest and the need for industrial peace outweigh any inconvenience arising from the suspension of the strike.
Despite being served with the court order, the workers reportedly resumed the strike four days later. They justified their action on the ground that they had filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal against the ruling.
However, Wike’s legal team rejected the argument, insisting that the filing of an appeal does not automatically operate as a stay of execution. According to the team, only an express order staying execution could justify a resumption of the strike.
“Court orders are not made in vain. They are meant to be obeyed for sanity to prevail in society,” the senior lawyer stated in court documents, urging the workers to comply with the order and avoid contempt proceedings.
Justice Sublimi had adjourned the substantive matter to March 25, 2026, for hearing.
The industrial action, which began on January 19, involved workers of the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and led to the shutdown of activities across Abuja. The strike affected all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals, with the workers citing alleged “unmet demands” by the Federal Government.
