An aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed viral claims suggesting that the minister fled from protesters during a demonstration in Abuja, insisting that he merely used an alternative exit after the main entrance was blocked.

The clarification follows the circulation of videos on social media showing aggrieved workers chasing a convoy allegedly conveying the minister during a protest in the nation’s capital on Monday.

Aide Explains What Happened

Speaking on ARISE TV on Tuesday, Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, said the viral clips were misleading and did not reflect what actually happened.

According to him, protesters had barricaded the main entrance of the FCT Secretariat, making it inaccessible at the time the minister was leaving.

“The minister was not running away from anything,” Olayinka said. “The entrance of the secretariat was blocked by protesters, and rather than asking security to forcefully clear them, he chose to exit through the Ministry of Agriculture so he could proceed to the airport to see the president off.”

He stressed that the decision was taken to avoid escalation and maintain calm, not out of fear or pressure from protesters.

Read Also Court Orders FCT Workers to End Strike, Resume Work Immediately

Protest Erupts Over Welfare Issues

Tension flared in Abuja on Monday when workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) staged protests over unresolved welfare and salary issues.

Videos shared online showed demonstrators chanting slogans and pursuing a vehicle believed to be part of Wike’s convoy, fuelling claims that the minister was being chased out of the area.

Earlier in the day, the protesting workers, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), picketed the National Industrial Court as part of their ongoing indefinite strike.

Workers Demand Wike’s Removal

During the protest, workers openly called for Wike’s removal as FCT minister while demanding immediate payment of outstanding entitlements.

Placards seen at the protest site carried inscriptions such as:

• “Wike must go!!”

• “Abuja no be Rivers”

• “Pay promotion arrears”

• “Enough is Enough”

• “No working tools”

According to the workers, the strike was triggered by five months of unpaid salaries, long-overdue promotion arrears, and poor working conditions across FCTA offices.

Court Orders Workers Back to Work

In a related development, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has ordered FCTA workers to suspend the strike and resume duties immediately.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, held that embarking on industrial action while the dispute is already before the court amounts to a resort to self-help.

The court acknowledged that workers have a constitutional right to strike but emphasized that such a right is not absolute, especially when the matter is under judicial consideration.

Justice Subilim cited Section 18(1)(b) of the Trade Dispute Act, which bars workers from striking over disputes already referred to the Industrial Court.

What This Means Going Forward

With the court order now in force, FCTA workers are expected to return to work while the substantive welfare disputes continue through legal channels.

Meanwhile, the FCT minister’s camp insists that viral narratives portraying Wike as fleeing protesters are inaccurate and do not reflect the events of the day.