The National Industrial Court in Abuja has issued an interim injunction restraining members of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) from embarking on any form of strike or industrial action. The order was granted on Friday, January 9, 2026, by Justice E. D. Subilim, following an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi. The respondents in the suit include NARD, its National President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleman, and its National Secretary, Shuaibu Ibrahim.

The injunction follows NARD’s announcement of a planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Monday, January 12, 2026, over unresolved welfare and professional concerns affecting resident doctors. In granting the application, Justice Subilim stated that the motion, supported by an affidavit and written address, satisfied the legal requirements for the issuance of an interim order.

The court expressly restrained NARD, its members, agents, privies, and all persons acting on its behalf from calling, organizing, directing, or participating in any form of industrial action. This includes strikes, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing, or any other action capable of disrupting healthcare services. The respondents were also barred from taking any preparatory steps towards such actions from January 12, 2026, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice. The interim order will remain in force until January 21, 2026, when the motion is scheduled for hearing. The claimants were directed to serve the order on the respondents within seven days, while NARD and its officials were granted the liberty to apply to vary or discharge the order within seven days of service.

Despite the court’s intervention, NARD has maintained that its proposed strike action is justified and non-political. Speaking in Abuja, Dr. Suleman stated that the planned withdrawal of services was a direct response to unmet commitments, shifting government positions, and worsening working conditions for resident doctors. He noted that none of the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government on November 27, 2025, had been implemented, adding that several issues had either remained unresolved or deteriorated further.

The association has also disputed claims by the Ministry of Health that some concerns had been addressed and demanded accountability for an alleged N90 billion provision in the 2026 budget earmarked for health workers’ professional allowances. Among NARD’s key demands are the immediate reinstatement of five disengaged resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, with full back pay, rejecting any proposal for their redeployment. Other grievances include unpaid promotion arrears across 62 tertiary institutions, non-recognition of specialist qualifications, and outstanding salary and allowance payments affecting nearly 40 percent of resident doctors nationwide.

Resident doctors at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, have also declared full support for the strike. They cited unresolved issues such as the continued disengagement of the Lokoja doctors, unpaid promotion and salary arrears, partial implementation of the Professional Allowance Table, withheld specialist allowances, delayed payment of house officers’ salaries, prolonged delays in postgraduate training certification, and deteriorating hospital infrastructure.

While NARD has reiterated its willingness to engage in dialogue, it has appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for urgent intervention. The association, however, warned that failure to take concrete steps to address its demands could result in widespread disruption of healthcare services across the country.