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By Lizzy Chirkpi
After days of tension that saw protesting workers shut down offices and restrict access, normal activities resumed on Wednesday across the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) following a court order halting the industrial action by workers.
The strike, which pitted organised labour against the FCT administration and led to protests that disrupted official activities including attempts to block the Minister, Nyesom Wike, from accessing his office, was suspended after the National Industrial Court intervened.
On Tuesday, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, presided over by Justice E. D. Subilim, ordered workers operating under the Joint Union Action Committee to suspend the strike with immediate effect to allow room for dialogue.
Reacting to the ruling, Wike called on workers to comply fully with the court order and return to their duty posts without further delay.
“While the right to protest is recognised in a democratic setting, court orders must be respected at all times,” the minister said.
Following the judgment, the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti, issued a circular directing all Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to reopen immediately and enforce strict attendance monitoring.
The circular, dated January 27, 2026, instructed permanent secretaries and heads of departments, parastatals and agencies to ensure full compliance with the court directive, while assuring workers of the administration’s commitment to their welfare concerns.
Checks at the FCTA Secretariat and several affiliated Ministries, Departments and Agencies on Wednesday showed that workers had largely returned to their duty posts, with offices reopening and official activities gradually returning to normal.
However, the development might pause the standoff between the FCT Administration and its workforce, pending further engagements aimed at resolving the issues that triggered the protest