The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja has barred the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its members from going on strike starting January 12
The ruling was delivered on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Subilim following an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
Named as defendants in the case (NICN/ABJ/06/2026) are NARD, its National President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleman, and Secretary General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim.
Named as defendants in the case (NICN/ABJ/06/2026) are NARD, its National President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleman, and Secretary General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim.
The court stated that the restraining order will remain in effect until the suit is determined and adjourned the matter to January 21 for hearing. It directed the Federal Government to serve the order on the defendants, who have seven days to apply to discharge or vary it after being served.
Justice Subilim said the court considered submissions from the FG’s legal team, led by Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, as well as the affidavit of urgency, supporting affidavit, and annexures attached to the ex parte motion.
He held: “An interim order of injunction is hereby granted restraining the Defendants Respondents, their members, servants, agents, privies and/or any other person acting on their behalf or at their directives from calling, directing, organizing, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action, including but not limited to strikes, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing or any other form of industrial protest or disruption; as well as taking steps preparatory to or in furtherance of any industrial action, from the 12th of January, 2026, until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”
The court added that it was satisfied that “this is a proper case for the grant of an interim injunction.”
NARD had previously declared an indefinite strike, citing the Federal Government’s failure to implement agreed welfare demands. The announcement followed an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on January 2.
The association had earlier suspended a 29-day strike on November 29, 2025, after the FG promised to meet its demands within four weeks—a deadline the doctors’ body says passed without any visible progress.
