The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, has ordered the suspension of the ongoing strike embarked upon by workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) in the Federal Capital Territory.
The court granted an interlocutory injunction following a suit filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration, seeking to restrain the union from continuing the industrial action.
In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, the claimants sued the Chairman of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer, and its Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh, asking the court to bar them and their agents from embarking on any strike, picketing, or lockout action.
Ruling on the matter on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that while the case qualified as a trade dispute and met the necessary legal requirements, the right of workers to embark on industrial action was not absolute.
The judge ruled that once a trade dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, workers are barred from participating in a strike. He added that where such a strike is already in progress, it must be suspended pending the final determination of the case.
Justice Subilim accordingly ordered JUAC and its members to halt the ongoing strike until the court resolves the substantive issues before it.
