Protesting Workers Chase Wike’s Motorcade Over Welfare Issues
Protest Escalates in the Federal Capital
TENSION flared in Abuja on Monday as aggrieved workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) reportedly chased the motorcade of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, during an ongoing protest over unresolved welfare and salary concerns.
The incident occurred amid an indefinite strike embarked upon by workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), which has disrupted operations across key government offices in the nation’s capital.
Video Shows Heated Confrontation
A video circulating on social media captured the moment the protesting workers, who had gathered to press their demands, became visibly agitated as the minister’s convoy drove past their protest point.
In the footage, demonstrators could be heard chanting slogans and calling for attention to their grievances, while some moved towards the passing vehicles. Although no physical confrontation was reported, the scene reflected the growing frustration among workers over what they described as prolonged neglect of their demands.
Strike Grounds FCTA Operations
The protest is part of a broader industrial action that began last week when FCTA workers commenced an indefinite strike. The unions accused authorities of failing to address long-standing issues bordering on welfare, salaries and other labour-related entitlements.
Since the strike began, several government offices within the FCT have remained shut, affecting administrative services and daily activities in Abuja.
Union leaders have insisted that the action would continue until concrete steps are taken to resolve the issues raised, describing previous engagements with management as inconclusive.
Legal Battle Looms
In response to the strike, Minister Wike took the Joint Unions Action Committee to court, seeking legal intervention to halt the industrial action.
Court documents show that the suit, marked NICN/ABJ/17/2026, was filed at the Abuja division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN). The case is scheduled for hearing today.
The claimants in the suit are the FCT minister and the FCTA, while the defendants are JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer and Secretary-General Abdullahi Saleh, both sued in their representative capacities.
As workers await the court’s decision, tensions remain high, with uncertainty hanging over the resolution of the dispute.
