The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Monday restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress from embarking on a planned mass protest against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration.
Justice Emmanuel Sibilim issued the interim order following an ex parte application filed by the FCT minister and the FCTA, seeking to stop the unions and their leaders from proceeding with the protest scheduled for Tuesday or any other day pending the hearing of a motion on notice.
The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/30/26, was filed by James Onoja, SAN, on behalf of the minister and the FCTA against the NLC, TUC and their officials, including Benson Upah, N.A. Toro and Stephen Knabayi.
In his ruling, Sibilim restrained the first to fifth respondents, their agents and privies from embarking on any strike or protest action and ordered security agencies joined in the suit to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order in the nation’s capital.
The court adjourned the matter to February 10 for hearing of the substantive motion.
Onoja told the court that despite an earlier ruling on January 27 and service of the court order on the unions the same day, the NLC and TUC had issued a statement directing their affiliates to intensify and sustain the industrial action.
He added that the unions, through their counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, justified the directive on the grounds that an appeal had been filed against the interlocutory ruling, prompting FCTA workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee to circulate instructions for members to continue the strike.
According to him, the planned protest violated subsisting court orders and was capable of triggering a breakdown of law and order in Abuja.
The claimants further told the court that the industrial action began on January 19 when workers allegedly locked up offices and the FCTA secretariat, forcing the closure of schools, departments and agencies, and grounding government activities in the territory.
The unions are yet to officially react to the ruling as of press time.
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