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• Threatens to sanction any worker who refuses to resume work on Wednesday
• FCTA directs staff to resume immediately
• We’ll be law-abiding – JUAC president
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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, announced the approval of over ₦12 billion in January salaries for Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) workers, just after a court ruling suspended their ongoing strike.
Addressing journalists in his Abuja office after the ruling, Wike emphasised the administration’s commitment to dialogue while rejecting political interference and unrealistic demands.
Wike clarified that the FCT receives only one per cent of federal revenue — about ₦10 billion from a ₦1 trillion allocation — which falls short of covering salaries alone, let alone administration costs. He highlighted the administration’s success in boosting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from ₦9 billion at his assumption of office to ₦30 billion, crediting this for sustaining payments and reforms.
“I just signed January salaries amounting to over ₦12 billion,” Wike said. “Yet the FCT is entitled to only one per cent of federal revenue. If the Federal Government earns ₦1 trillion, the FCT gets about ₦10 billion. That allocation alone cannot even cover salaries, not to talk of running the administration.”
The minister noted that the administration initially prioritised dialogue when the strike began, addressing most of workers’ 14 demands — up to 10 legitimately. He accused politicians of hijacking the action, prompting the court intervention to uphold order and prevent misinformation.
“When the strike started, we believed in dialogue. We felt the issues could be resolved through discussion. But when it became clear that politicians have hijacked the strike, we had no choice but to go to court and allow the law to decide,” Wike stated. “The issue of the strike is not new. I believe the administration has reasonably met the demands of the workers. However, we must be honest and admit that some of the demands are frivolous and go beyond what workers are legitimately entitled to.”
Drawing from his experience as a former Rivers State governor and local government chairman, Wike acknowledged workers’ democratic rights to protest but stressed strikes as a last resort, urging patience for phased implementation.
“This is a democracy. Everyone has the right to protest. But if workers made 14 demands and government addressed like 10, there should be room for understanding and patience,” he said. “When demands are legitimate, government should acknowledge them. But it is not always possible to implement everything at once. Government does not deny legitimate entitlements, especially wages.”
Wike dismissed social media claims that he was chased from his office during the strike, calling them deliberate falsehoods.
“I was in my office, went to the airport to see Mr President who travelled to Turkey, and returned. These stories are deliberate misinformation,” he said.
He touted key reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including establishing the FCT Civil Service Commission, appointing permanent secretaries, and creating the Office of the Head of Service — allowing workers to advance beyond director level before retirement.
“Before now, workers retired at director level, but they can now rise to Permanent Secretary. This was made possible by the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. You cannot expect government to spend all available revenue on wages alone while neglecting massive infrastructure development,” Wike noted.
After the court ruling, Wike issued a firm warning, reaffirming openness to reasonable dialogue but vowing consequences for non-compliance.
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“Disobeying the law has consequences. From tomorrow, any worker who refuses to resume work will face disciplinary action. Anyone who attempts to block government facilities will face the full weight of the law,” he declared. “No amount of blackmail or political games will intimidate this administration. We will obey the court, and everyone else must do the same. No one will stagnate this administration through blackmail or political games. Nigeria must operate under the rule of law.”
Wike insisted union engagements remain ongoing with his approval, urging all parties to respect the rule of law for continued reforms and development in the FCT.
In a related development, the acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nancy Nathan, has ordered all staff of the administration to immediately resume work following a court order suspending the ongoing strike by workers.
In a circular dated 27 January 2026, with reference number FCTA/HOS/S.1/019/Vol. I/006, Nathan said the directive followed Tuesday’s order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, presided over by Honourable Justice E. D. Subilim, which directed that the strike declared by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) be suspended forthwith.
The circular, addressed to Secretaries of Mandate Secretariats, Coordinators of AMMC, AIIC and STDD, permanent secretaries, and heads of parastatals and agencies, stated that all staff are to resume duties immediately at their various duty posts across the Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) of the FCTA.
It further directed all permanent secretaries and heads of departments and agencies to maintain staff attendance registers, even as the management, according to Nathan, “is committed to the welfare of members of staff.”
“Please, bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all concerned for immediate compliance,” she said.
Meanwhile, strong indications point to the imminent suspension of the week-long strike by Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) staff, following an urgent appeal from the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) president, Rifkatu Iortyer.
In response to a fresh interlocutory injunction ordering workers to halt the industrial action that began last Monday, Iortyer urged calm and strict adherence to the law while addressing workers at the court premises. She emphasised peaceful conduct to prevent casualties amid heavy security deployment.
“No body should say anything, whether it for or against us….whatever the outcome — whether it’s good for us or bad for us. We will show them that we are law-abiding,” Iortyer declared.
She announced plans for internal consultations, adding: “We will hold a meeting and consult with the NLC and TUC because no body here belongs to a Union that’s is not registered. I want us to be calm. If it is victory, be calm; if it is against us, be calm, then we will end up with what we want to do outside here.”
Highlighting the risks from intensified security presence, Iortyer warned: “Because we didn’t see this level of appearance yesterday (Monday). And you see them already holding their chests and doing whatever, they have tear gas and they have guns and you know, some people out of overzealousness, before you know it, anything can happen.”
“I don’t want us to record any casualty. There are always different ways of addressing issues. We didn’t want it this way, but they have brought us this way to oppress us and to suppress us. But I want us to know that we are barracks. Soldier come, soldier go. Please tell our teaming members that are coming. This is my plea. I don’t want casualty. I don’t want anybody to be injured, I don’t want anybody to die,” she pleaded.
In a positive development hinting at progress on workers’ demands, Iortyer disclosed: “But I want to announced to us that as at this morning…..I think it was Thursday or Wednesday last week they were able to pay our one month pension to our pension administrators. They paid ₦1,131 billion, and some fractions for the month of June. And they have paid it in the same manner again. All of them are above ₦1.1 billion for every month. And you can imagine all this money was there.”
