State Wing Executive Council, SWEC, of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has directed primary and secondary school teachers to begin an indefinite strike today (Monday).
The union gave the directive in a communique issued at the end of an emergency SWEC meeting in Gwagwalada, on Friday, and made available to the media on Saturday.
In the communique, jointly signed by the FCT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa; Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and the Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye, the union directed the teachers to comply with the directive and await further instructions.
It advised parents to keep their children and wards in primary and secondary schools safely at home until further notice, adding that teachers would remain at home until all their demands are met.
The union explained that the decision was the outcome of the SWEC meeting convened to review the seven-day ultimatum issued the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on March 11, which expired on March 29.
It said SWEC appreciated Wike for the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage and payment of the nine months arrears to primary school teachers.
It, however, said the council noted with concern that the minister’s intervention, which facilitated the suspension of the 14-week strike on July 9, 2025, was yet to be addressed.
“The minister constituted a committee on July 7, 2025 with a mandate to, within two weeks, harmonise all outstanding entitlements of primary school teachers.
“The committee was also directed to make appropriate recommendations that would lead to a permanent solution to the frequent industrial disputes involving primary school teachers.
“The committee concluded its assignment and submitted its report in August 2025, however, it yet to be made public,” it said.
The union explained that the seven-day ultimatum followed the unexplained delay in the implementation of the committee’s report.
It added that the move also became necessary, following the continued silence on the legitimate demands of teachers amid the prevailing harsh economic realities in the country, particularly in the FCT.
It noted that the Wike-led FCT Administration was asked to, within the seven-day ultimatum, release and implement the report of primary school teachers outstanding entitlements.
The union called for the removal of the “vacancies” precondition for the promotion of classroom teachers and review the 2024 promotion exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission to allow for the unhindered promotion of eligible teachers.
It said SWEC was disturbed that following the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum on March 19, including the additional 28-day grace period granted to the authorities, there had been no tangible response to all the issues raised in the ultimatum.
“After exhaustive deliberations on the industrial issues and the silence on the legitimate demands of teachers welfare, the council resolved that all public primary and secondary school teachers in the FCT shall, with effect from Monday, proceed on indefinite strike until our demands are met,” the union said.
