Ayo Ayodele
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared that it will go ahead with its planned strike on January 12, 2026, despite a court order restraining the action.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, on Friday issued an interim injunction barring NARD and its members from embarking on the proposed industrial action. The order followed a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) in suit number NICN/ABJ/06/2026.
Justice Emmanuel Subilim, who granted the order, restrained NARD, its officers, members, agents and affiliates from calling, organising or participating in any form of industrial action, including strikes, work stoppages, protests or picketing, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.
The court also barred the associationβs National President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleman, and Secretary General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, from taking steps preparatory to the strike from January 12. The judge fixed January 21, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice and directed the Federal Government to serve the enrolled order on the defendants within seven days. NARD and its leaders were also granted the right to apply to vary or discharge the order.
Reacting to the ruling, NARD said it was not intimidated by the court order, insisting that the planned strike was a response to the Federal Governmentβs alleged failure to fully implement agreements previously reached with the association.
The resident doctors had earlier announced plans to resume a βtotal, indefinite and comprehensive strikeβ following an emergency virtual meeting of their National Executive Council on January 2. The association said the action would be accompanied by centre-based protests from January 12 to January 16, followed by regional and nationwide demonstrations.
NARD maintained that the strike would only be suspended after the full implementation of what it described as its minimum demands.