After VeryDarkMan’s viral protest - Wike moves to end 90-day school shutdown

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has stepped into the prolonged teachers’ strike that has paralysed primary education across Abuja for over 90 days, proposing a financial bailout and engaging stakeholders to resolve the impasse.

The industrial action, which began on 24 March 2025, stems from the failure of the area council chairmen to implement the new ₦70,000 minimum wage for primary school teachers.

The situation has left thousands of pupils across the FCT without access to education, triggering outrage and public demonstrations.

One of the most vocal expressions came from controversial social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), who recently staged a symbolic classroom protest outside Wike’s residence.

Accompanied by schoolchildren in uniform, he conducted an impromptu lesson laced with political satire, chanting: “S for Suegbe, T for Tinubu, W for Wike.”

Three-Stage Dialogue and DSS Mediation

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which had planned a mass protest, revealed that after being invited to a high-level meeting at the Department of State Services (DSS) Headquarters, they agreed to suspend the demonstration for the sake of national security and student welfare.

Following this, NANS engaged in a strategic meeting with the Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara, and later with Minister Wike, who clarified the structural issues hampering resolution.

“FCT remains the only unit of the federation operating full local government autonomy,” Wike reportedly stated, “therefore, salary payments are the sole responsibility of the area councils.”

Despite this, Wike offered a bailout where the FCT Administration would shoulder 60% of the outstanding arrears, expecting the councils to cover the remaining 40%.

When that failed, he withheld the area councils’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for May and June to fund their portion.