Activist Aisha Yesufu has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to urgently intervene in the ongoing teachers’ strike, warning that continued inaction could cripple basic education in Abuja.

Her appeal follows the decision of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, to embark on an indefinite strike starting Monday, April 20, 2026, over unresolved welfare issues and the non-implementation of a committee report submitted since August 2025.

In a statement posted on her X handle, Yesufu described the situation as a preventable crisis, stressing that teachers are often compelled to strike only after exhausting other options.

“Enough is enough. When teachers lay down their tools, it is never because they want to. It is because they have been pushed to the wall,” she said.

She warned that the impact of the strike would be borne largely by schoolchildren rather than government officials.

“And when teachers are pushed to the wall, what suffers first is not government pride, it is the future of children,” she added.

According to her, reports from the FCT wing of the union indicate that a committee set up in July 2025 to address teachers’ entitlements had concluded its work and submitted its report in August, but it remains unreleased and unimplemented.

She also cited unresolved entitlements and promotion delays as major drivers of the industrial action, noting that bureaucratic bottlenecks have stalled career progression for many teachers.

“They are saying entitlements remain unresolved. They are saying promotions are being trapped in bureaucracy that makes no sense in a system that claims to value education,” Yesufu stated.

Highlighting the broader implications, she warned that prolonged closure of schools would have serious consequences for pupils across the territory, particularly those in early stages of learning and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Directly addressing the FCT Minister, Yesufu urged swift action to prevent a total shutdown of schools.

“Leadership is not about silence when systems are breaking. Leadership is about stepping in before collapse becomes reality,” she said.

She called for immediate release and implementation of the committee report, resolution of promotion bottlenecks, and an end to recurring industrial disputes in the education sector.

The NUT had, after an emergency meeting of its State Wing Executive Council in Gwagwalada, directed teachers across the six area councils to withdraw their services indefinitely until their demands are met.

While the FCT Administration had previously intervened in areas such as the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage and partial payment of arrears, lingering concerns over entitlements and career progression continue to fuel tensions.

Yesufu warned that continued delay could further erode confidence in public education, urging authorities to act swiftly to prevent long-term damage to the system.

“Act now, before classrooms go silent,” she said.