FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has moved to jail striking FCTA workers for allegedly disobeying a National Industrial Court order suspending their strike.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has applied to the National Industrial Court for an order to commit striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to prison over their alleged disobedience of a court order. The workers reportedly resumed their strike despite an order issued on January 27 directing them to suspend the industrial action pending the determination of a suit instituted against them by the FCT minister.
To enforce compliance with the court’s directive, Wike obtained Form 48, a legal document warning of the consequences of disobedience of a court order. The form was obtained by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on behalf of the minister, and is titled “Notice of Consequence of disobedience of order of Court,” which precedes contempt proceedings. It reads, “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 27th day of January 2026, you will be guilty of the contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the Industrial Court, Mr. Olajide Balogun. Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi of the National Industrial Court had on January 27 ordered the FCTA workers to suspend their strike following an application by Wike through Ogwu James Onoja SAN, seeking an order compelling the workers to return to work pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.