The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Abuja, has restrained the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its members from proceeding with the strike action scheduled to commence on 12 January.
The order was made on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Subilim while ruling on a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation in a suit marked NICN/ABJ/06/2026.
Justice Subilim granted the application after hearing submissions from Maimuna Lami Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, who led a team of government lawyers to move the motion before the court.
Read also:Â Residents doctors in Nigeria prepare for strike on January 12
The respondents named in the suit are the National Association of Resident Doctors, its National President, Mohammad Usman Suleman, and its Secretary General, Shuaibu Ibrahim.
In his ruling, the judge restrained NARD, its officers, members, agents and any persons acting on its behalf from calling, organising, directing or participating in any form of industrial action. This includes strikes, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing or any other form of industrial protest.
The court further barred the association from taking any steps in preparation for, or in furtherance of, the planned strike scheduled to begin on 12 January, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.
Justice Subilim held that the interim injunction would remain in force until 21 January 2026, when the motion on notice is expected to be heard. He also directed the Federal Government to serve the order on the defendants within seven days.
Read also:Â Resident doctors threaten indefinite strike over unfulfilled agreement with FG
According to the court, the defendants are at liberty to apply for the discharge or variation of the order within seven days of being served.
NARD had, on Tuesday, directed its members in 91 tertiary health institutions across the country to withdraw their services completely and indefinitely from 12.00 a.m. (midnight) on Monday, 12 January 2026.
The association said the directive was issued due to the Federal Government’s failure to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into with it.
