The National Industrial Court in Abuja, has stopped medical doctors in the country from proceeding with their planned industrial action, scheduled to commence from January 12.
Justice E.D. Subilim made the order on Friday, while delivering ruling in an ex parte application brought by the federal government.
While the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation are the 1st and 2nd applicants / complainants in the suit marked: NICN/ABJ/06/2026, the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD), NARD’s President, Mohammed Suleiman, and Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim are 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively.
It would be recalled that members of NARD had last week threatened to proceed on a nationwide strike over alleged worsening welfare conditions and systemic neglect which according to them “have affected morale and healthcare delivery.”
While the suit filed by the federal government, challenging the decision of the doctors, was still pending before the court, the complaints approached the court for an order halting the planned strike.
“Upon reading the application, the claimants vide the Motion Ex parte and the affidavit in support dated January 7, 2026, and filed on January 8, 2026; and upon hearing Maimuna Lami Shiru of Counsel to the claimants; and the Court being satisfied that this is a proper case for the grant of an interim injunction; “Is hereby ordered as follows: An Interim Order of Injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants / respondents, servants, agents, privies … from calling, directing, organising, participating in, and embarking upon any form of industrial action including but not limited to: strike, work stoppages, go-slows, picketing, or any other form of industrial protest or disruption, as well as taking steps preparatory to any form of industrial action from the January 12, 2026, by the order of the Court.”
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