The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja, has granted an interlocutory injunction compelling workers under the Joint Union Action Committee to suspend their ongoing strike action in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The order followed a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alongside the FCT Administration, against the leadership of the Joint Union Action Committee. The defendants in the suit are the committee’s Chairman, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh.
In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, the claimants asked the court to restrain the defendants and their agents from embarking on or continuing any form of industrial action, including strikes, picketing, or lockouts, pending the determination of the substantive matter before the court.
Delivering his ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that while the dispute before the court qualified as a trade dispute and had satisfied the required legal conditions, the right of workers to embark on industrial action was not absolute under the law.
The judge ruled that once a trade dispute has been formally referred to the National Industrial Court, workers are prohibited from engaging in a strike. He added that where such industrial action is already ongoing, it must cease until the court determines the matter.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the defendants and their representatives from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimants pending the determination of this suit,” Justice Subilim ruled.
The decision effectively brings to a halt the strike action by FCT workers under the Joint Union Action Committee, at least until the court concludes hearing and delivers judgment on the substantive issues in dispute.
