The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, has directed all primary and secondary school teachers in the territory to join the ongoing strike action initiated by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), effective Monday, January 26, 2026.
The directive was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the union’s State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas; State Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye, and issued to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
According to the statement, the decision to down tools follows a directive from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) instructing all affiliate unions within the FCT to escalate the industrial action. While NUT noted initial reservations about the organisational approach of the JUAC-led strike, the union stressed that the NLC’s intervention necessitated a unified front.
“All teachers in FCT primary and secondary schools are to stay away from classrooms starting Monday,” the communiqué said. Teachers in the city centre and surrounding areas have been instructed to converge at the National Industrial Court (NIC) on Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Abuja, by 7 a.m. on Monday to show solidarity during the hearing of a court case instituted against JUAC.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing negotiations with authorities until all outstanding demands affecting teachers are met, adding: “In pursuit of justice and to demonstrate our collective resolve, we must stand together. A people united can never be defeated.” Members have been urged to remain steadfast, with promises of timely updates as the situation develops.
The strike follows an indefinite industrial action by FCTA workers that began on January 19, 2026, over unresolved welfare concerns affecting staff morale and productivity.
JUAC members, led by their president Mrs. Rifkatu Iortyer, highlighted issues such as non-remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions, withheld payments and overheads, unlawful restriction and centralisation of salary preparation, and non-payment of officers of the Abuja Environment Protection Board and Social Development Secretariat tasked with enforcing laws and policies.
The strike has effectively shut down schools across Abuja, underscoring mounting tensions between the workforce and the FCT administration.
Elijah Adeyemi
