Workers give Wike 72 hours to release Kuje council allocation

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has given FCT Minister Nyesom Wike a 72-hour ultimatum to release the January 2026 staff salaries or risk a total shutdown of the territory’s six area councils.

The FCT President of NULGE, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi, stated this during a press conference in Abuja on Monday night.

He noted that the call follows the FCT Administration’s refusal to release the January 2026 allocation to the Kuje Area Council, preventing staff from receiving their wages.

He lamented that despite the union exhausting all channels of communication, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

He pointed out that while federal agencies, states, and other local governments have all paid their workers, the Kuje Area Council remains the sole exception.

“The question remains: what wrong has the workforce of Kuje Area Council done to be denied their legitimate monthly wages? These are our statutory rights and privileges,” Kabi asked.

He questioned why the FCT Administration has delayed the release of the January 2026 allocation for so long, describing the move as both illegal and unacceptable.

According to him, the FCTA’s recent trajectory of withholding funds is worrisome; he added that while the union has remained civil and patient, that patience is wearing thin.

Kabi further noted that families who depend solely on these salaries have resorted to begging and taking out loans. He highlighted that many staff members have been unable to pay school fees, resulting in their children being sent home.

“Staff are unable to pay house rent or cover medical bills, which has significantly worsened their situation,” the union stated.

“How do you explain this injustice given the current economic realities? Efforts to understand why this situation has lingered proved abortive, as the office responsible has merely claimed there are ‘technical issues,’” the union added.

The union concluded: “We hereby call on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to release our salaries immediately. We are issuing a 72-hour ultimatum to the FCTA to release the payment or we will be forced to embark on industrial action across all six area councils.”

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