Wike Moves to Jail Striking FCTA Workers Over Alleged Contempt of Court Order
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has approached the National Industrial Court seeking an order to jail striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over their alleged refusal to comply with a subsisting court directive.
PulseNets learnt that the alleged contempt arose after the workers resumed their industrial action despite an order issued by the court on January 27, directing them to suspend the strike pending the determination of a suit filed against them by the FCT Minister.
In a move signalling strong opposition to what he considers a flagrant disregard for judicial authority, Wike has obtained Form 48, a statutory court document outlining the consequences of disobedience to a court order, for service on the striking workers.
Court documents obtained by PulseNets show that the form was secured through Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of Bar and Bench Chambers, Abuja, acting on behalf of the FCT Minister. The document is intended to compel compliance with the court’s order or trigger committal proceedings as provided by law.
The document, titled “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court,” is the procedural step preceding formal contempt charges.
It states in part: “Take note 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.”
PulseNets reported that the notice, dated January 29, was duly signed by the Registrar of the National Industrial Court, Mr. Olajide Balogun.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi had, on January 27, ordered workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to immediately suspend their industrial action pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons filed by the FCT Minister.
The ruling followed an application brought by Wike through his counsel, Ogwu James Onoja SAN, seeking an order compelling the striking workers to return to work.
In the suit, Wike listed the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh respectively, as respondents.
Justice Sublimi held that once a trade dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, all forms of industrial action, including strikes, must cease.
Relying on Section 18(1)(e) of the Trade Disputes Act, the court stressed that such suspension allows for orderly adjudication of the dispute, noting that the filing of an originating summons constitutes a valid referral.
The judge further warned that non-compliance with the provisions of the Act could attract sanctions, adding that public interest and industrial harmony outweigh any inconvenience resulting from halting the strike.
However, PulseNets learnt that four days after the court order was served, the workers had neither complied with nor respected the directive.
Although the workers reportedly justified their decision to resume the strike on the basis of a notice of appeal filed at the Court of Appeal against Justice Sublimi’s ruling, Wike’s legal team rejected that position.
Speaking through court filings obtained by PulseNets, Onoja SAN’s legal team maintained that in the absence of a valid stay of execution, the ruling of the Industrial Court remains binding and enforceable.
The senior lawyer warned: “Court orders are not made in vain. They are meant to be obeyed so that sanity can prevail in society.”
It was further gathered that after granting the restraining order, Justice Sublimi adjourned the substantive matter to March 25, 2026, for hearing.
Also Read: Security Votes: SERAP Sues 36 Governors, Wike Over Billions Spent Since May 2023
The FCTA workers, alongside those of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), had commenced the strike on January 19, grounding activities across Abuja over what they described as “unmet demands” by the Federal Government.
The industrial action led to the shutdown of all FCTA Secretariats, Departments, Agencies, Area Councils, and parastatals within the Federal Capital Territory.
