Wike Deploys Form 48 To Enforce Strike Ban On FCTA Workers

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has applied to the National Industrial Court (NIC) for an order committing striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to prison over their alleged disobedience of a court order.

The application followed the workers’ resumption of 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.

As part of steps to enforce compliance with the court’s directive, Wike obtained Form 48 (a statutory court process outlining the consequences of disobeying a court order) to be served on the striking workers.

The Form 48 was procured by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the FCT Minister, warning the workers to obey the court order or risk being committed to prison in line with the law.

Titled “Notice of Consequence of Disobedience of Order of Court,” the document is a precursor to contempt proceedings.

The document reads in part: “Take notice 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.”

The notice, dated January 29, was signed by the Registrar of the National Industrial Court, Mr. Olajide Balogun.

Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Sublimi had, on January 27, ordered workers of the FCTA to suspend their industrial action pending the hearing and determination of an originating summons filed against them by the FCT Minister.

The order followed an application by Wike, through his counsel, Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, seeking a directive compelling the striking workers to return to work.

In the suit, the Minister listed the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Umar Saleh, 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 be suspended.

Relying on Section 18(1)(e) of the Trade Disputes Act, the court noted that such suspension allows for the proper resolution of disputes and that the filing of an originating summons amounts to a referral, requiring any ongoing strike to stop.

The judge further warned that failure to comply with the provisions of Section 18 of the Act could attract sanctions, stressing that the public interest in maintaining industrial peace outweighs any inconvenience arising from the suspension of a strike.

However, four days after the order was served on them, the workers allegedly failed to comply, prompting the contempt move by the FCT Minister.

Although the workers reportedly justified their continued 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 the argument.

According to Onoja, in court documents, the filing of an appeal does not automatically stay the execution of a court order unless an express order of stay is granted. He urged the workers to obey the law and avoid actions that could expose them to contempt proceedings.

Justice Sublimi had adjourned the substantive matter to March 25, 2026, for hearing.

The workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority commenced the industrial action on January 19, shutting down activities across Abuja over what they described as unmet demands by the Federal Government.

The strike affected all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals under the FCTA.