FCTA workers resume duties following National Industrial Court order suspending strike, with normal activities returning across the territory
Normal activities resumed on Wednesday across the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and its affiliated Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) following the return of workers to duty in compliance with a court order suspending their strike action.
The resumption followed a ruling on Tuesday by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, presided over by Justice E. D. Subilim, which directed that the industrial action embarked upon by workers under the Joint Union Action Committee be suspended with immediate effect to allow for dialogue.
Reacting to the judgment, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike urged workers to respect the court order and resume work without delay. “While the right to protest is recognised in a democratic setting, court orders must be respected at all times,” he said.
In line with the ruling, Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs Nancy Sabanti, issued a circular directing all Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies (SDAs) to reopen and maintain attendance registers to ensure compliance.
The circular, dated 27 January 2026, instructed permanent secretaries and heads of departments, parastatals, and agencies to enforce immediate resumption of duties while reassuring staff of the administration’s commitment to their welfare.
A visit to the FCTA Secretariat and several affiliated MDAs on Wednesday showed significant compliance, with workers observed at their duty posts carrying out normal official activities, signalling a gradual return to full operations across the territory.
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.
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