By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has directed its members to report to work as usual, distancing itself from an indefinite strike declared by the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
In a statement issued on Thursday, the TUC said the NLC had announced the industrial action without consulting its council or affiliated unions.
According to the statement, an NLC communiqué dated October 6, 2026, directed public and private sector workers in the FCT to begin an indefinite strike on October 7 over a dispute between the FCT Administration and the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
The TUC said it neither participated in the meeting that produced the directive nor endorsed the decision to embark on the strike.
“We took no part in the meeting that produced it, and we did not take part in the decision to call a strike. Accordingly, the TUC FCT is not a party to the said industrial action,” the council stated.
It directed its affiliate unions and members to continue their normal activities and report to work as usual.
The council also warned against attempts to intimidate or compel members to join the strike, urging anyone affected to report such incidents to the TUC FCT Secretariat.
It further instructed affiliate union leaders to disregard directives to establish strike enforcement committees unless such instructions came from the TUC FCT leadership.
The council urged its members to remain calm, law-abiding and vigilant, adding that any further guidance would be communicated by its leadership if the situation changed.
Expressing concern over the dispute’s impact on teachers, other workers and children, the TUC called on the parties to pursue consultation and use established industrial relations channels to resolve their differences.
“We remain open to that approach, so that our children’s access to education and a bright future is not disrupted,” it said.
