The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) faces escalating administrative paralysis as workers in all six Area Councils Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have joined the ongoing strike action.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), FCT Chapter, directed its members to withdraw services indefinitely starting January 27, 2026, following an emergency State Executive Council meeting held the previous day in Abuja.
This move comes in solidarity with the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), which initiated the broader strike earlier in January over unresolved welfare issues.
The decision aligns with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)'s nationwide call and directives from NULGE's national leadership.In a communiqué signed by NULGE FCT Chapter President Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi and State Secretary Comrade Sa’ad Abdulmumini, the union stated that members would fully participate in the strike to support JUAC while pressing their own longstanding demands.
These include payment of 2024 promotion arrears, full implementation of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage for Area Council staff, remittance of overdue pension and National Housing Fund deductions, and settlement of other unpaid entitlements.
The Area Councils' participation has significantly widened the industrial action, shutting down local government offices, halting waste management, stalling projects, and disrupting essential services across the territory.
Reports indicate that primary and secondary schools in the councils have been affected, with academic activities grinding to a halt in some areas.
The development compounds challenges for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has faced protests, barricaded offices, and attempts to block his convoy amid the unrest.
Wike secured an interlocutory injunction from the National Industrial Court on January 27, ordering suspension of the FCTA strike, but unions have shown defiance, and the Area Councils' involvement adds a separate local government dimension to the crisis.
Negotiations remain stalled, with unions vowing to sustain the action until demands are met, raising concerns about further disruptions in the nation's capital.
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