The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned striking staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to return to work or face legal consequences.

Wike issued the warning on Tuesday while briefing journalists shortly after a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering an end to the industrial action that has paralysed services in Abuja for more than a week.

While insisting that the rule of law must prevail, he accused political actors of exploiting the strike for purposes unrelated to workers’ welfare.

According to the minister, the FCTA approached the court after concluding that the strike had been “hijacked by politicians”, despite ongoing efforts by the administration to resolve the dispute through dialogue and attending to a substantial number of the workers’ demands.

He said mediation was already under way before the industrial action escalated.

“The administration was already in the process of mediation when some politicians hijacked the strike,” Wike said, adding that several of the demands presented by workers were “frivolous” and either unreasonable or already addressed.

He maintained that the FCTA had made substantial efforts to meet workers’ concerns, including the payment of salaries and the introduction of reforms within the civil service.

Wike disclosed that more than ₦12 billion had just been approved for the payment of January salaries to FCTA workers, a move he said demonstrated the administration’s commitment to staff welfare.

The minister also cited improved revenue performance as evidence of reforms under his leadership, stating that the FCT had generated more than ₦30 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR), which he described as a significant increase compared with previous years.

Wike urged workers to acknowledge reforms undertaken by the administration, including the establishment of the Civil Service Commission and investments in infrastructure across the territory.

He argued that inefficiencies within the public service had contributed to underdevelopment not only in the FCT but in many states across Nigeria.

“Workers are largely responsible for the lack of development in states, including the FCT,” he said.

The minister also dismissed claims circulating on social media that he had been forced out of his office during protests linked to the strike.

He described the reports as false, saying he had merely stepped out of the office to see President Bola Tinubu off at the Airport.

“I was never chased out of office,” Wike said.

Adopting a hardline tone, Wike warned against any further disruption of government operations, saying that attempts to lock government premises would attract severe consequences.

“Anyone who dares to lock the gates again will be made a scapegoat, because the law must be obeyed,” he said.

He further alleged that some senior officials within the civil service had played a role in sustaining the strike, claiming that certain directors were among those instigating the action.

However, he said this would not deter the administration from what he described as doing the right thing.

Wike stressed that engagement between workers and the government did not require direct access to him personally, noting that workers’ representatives had been in discussions with management throughout the dispute. “Seeing me in person is not a right,” he said.

The minister concluded by warning that workers who failed to comply with the court order and resume duties from the following day would face legal action, signalling a tougher enforcement phase as the FCTA moves to restore full public services in the nation’s capital. (Daily Trust)