There was tension in Abuja on Monday when a group of aggrieved workers reportedly chased the motorcade of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, during a protest over unresolved welfare and salary issues.
In a video sighted by OBSERVERS TIMES reporter, the protesting workers, who are part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) staff, vocally expressed their frustration while picketing at the National Industrial Court in Abuja.
The demonstration came on the heels of a directive from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which declared full support for the FCTA workers’ indefinite strike—initiated last week due to the management’s failure to address long-standing labour and welfare demands.
Carrying placards emblazoned with slogans such as “Wike Must Go!!”, “Abuja No Be Rivers”, “Pay Promotion Arrears”, “Enough is Enough”, and “No Working Tools”, the protesters accused the FCTA leadership of “persistent violations” of workers’ rights.
The strike has effectively shut down key government offices across Abuja, crippling administrative operations in the nation’s capital.
In response, Minister Wike filed suit against the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) at the Abuja division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). The case, numbered NICN/ABJ/17/2026, identifies Wike and the FCTA as claimants, and JUAC president Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary-General Abdullahi Saleh as defendants, acting in their representative capacities. The matter is scheduled for hearing today.
This standoff highlights escalating tensions between workers and FCTA authorities, as negotiations remain at an impasse.
