Wike stated this while handing over 12 new ambulances to FCT hospitals in Abuja on Thursday.

The comment was in response to the action of the union leaders of the FCT workers, under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC).

Wike argued that “the mere fact that I file notice of appeal does not automatically mean there is a stay of execution.

“It’s unfortunate when people say they will not obey court orders. That means we’re in a lawless society.

“You go and block the gates and say you will not obey court order. Let me advise you. It depends on who you are dealing with.

“By the time we go for contempt of court against those who are blocking our gates or those who wrote letter that they will not obey the court order, then you will see the difference.

“We did not take laws into our hands, all we said is, let’s go and see who is wrong and who is right.

“We are still open for dialogue but nobody should threaten the existence of anybody.”

The Minister said that the workers’ concerns were being addressed, adding that the majority of the issues have been resolved.

“If you make a request or a demand of five items, for example, and the government says okay, we can take up these three items, after this we take up the other two items.

“If you are really sincere, if there is no objective behind it, there is no way you will not accept.

“But when you leave dialogue and begin to join us as politicians, we will first treat you as politicians. I can’t treat you as a worker but as a political opponent, trying to run the administration down, using some people.

“Of course, no government will shut its eyes and allow that to happen,” he said.

He assured the workers that the problems affecting the FCT Administration were being addressed one after the other, stressing that no one could solve all the problems at once.

“The whole essence is to have dialogue where there are problems, and say these problems, I can solve this now, leave this for me tomorrow, I’ll be able to solve that tomorrow.

“Nobody can solve all our problems and as long as we are living, problems will come up.

”What is important is that you are focused and you are doing the best you can do. When you leave the office, another person will come and continue from where you stopped,” he added.

He recalled that before President Bola Tinubu’s administration, workers in the FCTA retired as directors, but now could reach the position of a permanent secretary and become Head of Service.

He added that another reform was the creation of the FCT Civil Service Commission by the Tinubu administration.

The post Wike Warns JUAC: Defying Court Orders Will Have Consequences appeared first on Business Today NG.

JUAC had in a statement signed by Comrade Abdullahi Umar Saleh, the Union’s Secretary, issued to the staff on Wednesday, directed the staff to stay at home.

The statement read: “The Joint Union Action Committee therefore directs as follows: That the strike continues as earlier declared by the JUAC. That staff are encouraged to stay at home to continuously participate in daily prayers for the success of the strike.”

However, Staff of FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) were seen doing their work and carrying out their duties on Thursday defying the directive in the process.

Visit to FCTA and FCDA offices showed that workers were at work, carrying out their duties.

Some of the workers, who spoke to our reporter under the condition of anonymity said they opted to come to work in obedience to the ruling of the court.

One of the FCTA said; “The court has said we should come to work and we have no option than to come to work. Also, this is the last week of the month of January and we are expecting salary to be paid. If we don’t come to work, how are we going to get our salary?”

The JUAC directive that the strike should continue came just a day after the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, granted an interlocutory injunction filed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration, compelling workers under the aegis of the union to suspend their ongoing strike.

Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice E.D. Subilim held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute and had met the required legal conditions, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.

The judge ruled that workers were prohibited from participating in a strike once a dispute had been referred to the National Industrial Court, adding that where such a strike was already ongoing, it must cease pending the determination of the case.

“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted, restraining the claimants and representatives… from further embarking on any industrial action against the claimant. The order shall remain in force, pending the determination of this suit,” Justice Subilim said.

Recall that the Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti, had issued a circular directing all Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) to open and strictly maintain staff attendance registers to ensure compliance with the court order.

The circular, dated January 27, 2026, instructed Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments, Parastatals and Agencies to enforce immediate resumption of duties by workers, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to staff welfare in the process.

The post Strike: FCTA Workers shun JUAC’s Directive, Resume Work appeared first on Business Today NG.