The crippling paralysis of Abuja’s public services has been brought to an abrupt, judicially-enforced end. Armed with a fresh court order, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has issued a stark ultimatum to striking workers: return to your desks immediately or face the sack.

The confrontation reached its zenith Tuesday when the National Industrial Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, ruled that the strike by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) was illegal while the matter was under adjudication. The ruling hands Wike the legal cudgel he needs to break the deadlock that has left the capital’s administration in limbo for over a week.

The "Political Hijack" Theory

Minister Wike did not mince words during his briefing at the FCTA secretariat. "This is no longer about welfare; this is politics," he thundered, accusing unnamed "political actors" of hijacking the union’s grievances to destabilize his administration. The Minister claims that 90% of the union’s demands, including salary arrears and promotion backlogs, had already been approved before the tools were downed.

• The Legal stranglehold: Justice Subilim’s ruling relies on Section 18(1) of the Trade Dispute Act, which bars workers from striking once a dispute is before the court. This effectively criminalizes the continuation of the industrial action.
• The Compliance Directive: A circular signed by Nancy Nathan, Acting Head of Civil Service, has already been dispatched. It mandates all Permanent Secretaries to take a roll call. "Any staff not at their duty post by 8:00 AM tomorrow will be deemed to have absconded," the circular warns.
• The Union’s Dilemma: JUAC leadership, led by Rifkatu Iortyer, is now cornered. Defying the court risks contempt charges and mass dismissals, but capitulating without a signed deal on the remaining welfare issues risks alienating their base.

A Capital Under Siege

For the residents of Abuja, the standoff has been punishing. Waste collection has stalled, municipal permits are frozen, and the bureaucratic engine of the capital has seized up. Wike’s victory in court is a tactical win, but the morale of the FCTA workforce remains at rock bottom.

As workers trudge back to their offices under threat of sanction, the silence in the corridors will not be one of productivity, but of simmering resentment. The strike may be over, but the war for the soul of the FCT civil service has just begun.