THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called off their planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and directed workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration to resume work with immediate effect.
The directive followed a meeting between labour leaders, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Senate Committee on the FCT. The meeting, which began late on Monday continued into the early hours of Tuesday, leading to an agreement that prompted the unions to suspend the protest and allow normal operations to resume across FCTA offices.
The move could end a dispute that began as a strike action by FCTA workers over unresolved labour and welfare issues.
The ICIR reported that workers under the FCTA, led by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), launched an indefinite strike on January 19, 2026, over unpaid allowances, welfare concerns, and other unresolved labour crises. The action effectively shut down operations across FCTA, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), and their agencies.
Responding to the strike, the FCT Minister and the FCTA approached the National Industrial Court in Abuja, and on January 27, 2026, the court ordered workers to suspend the strike and resume duty pending the determination of the litigation before the court.
However, the NLC and TUC rejected the court’s verdict and instructed striking workers to defy the order, leading to continued tension and plans for a solidarity rally for today, Tuesdday, February 3.
Meanwhile the FCT Police Command advised against, citing potential security threats and concerns about non-state actors hijacking it.
Similarly, a National Industrial Court in Abuja granted an interim order restraining the NLC, TUC, and JUAC on February 2, from embarking on the planned protest. The judge also directed security agencies to maintain law and order in the FCT pending further hearings.
The court order was issued following an ex parte application from the FCT Minister and the FCTA, which argued the planned protest would disrupt government operations, obstruct traffic and violate residents’ rights.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.