Industrial Court bars resident doctors from planned strike

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has restrained the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and two of its officials from embarking on any form of industrial action scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026.

Justice E. D. Subilim issued the interim injunction on Friday in a suit marked NICN/ABJ/06/2026, filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation against NARD, its president, Dr Mohammad Suleman, and its secretary, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim.

The ruling followed an ex parte application by the Federal Government, which urged the court to stop the association from calling or organising a strike, work stoppage, picketing, go-slow or any other industrial protest pending the hearing of a substantive motion.

In his ruling, Justice Subilim barred the association, its officers, members, agents or anyone acting on their behalf from “calling, directing, organising, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action,” as well as from taking any steps in preparation for such action.

The order will remain in force until January 21, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the motion on notice.

The development comes amid plans by NARD to commence a total and indefinite strike, a move that had received support from resident doctors at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.

The doctors had accused the Federal Government of failing to fully implement the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the association following the suspension of its 29-day strike in November 2025.

The court also directed the Federal Government to serve the defendants with the court processes within seven days, while granting the resident doctors the liberty to apply to discharge or vary the order within seven days of being served.