The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja, has restrained the National Association of Resident Doctors and its members from embarking on the nationwide strike earlier scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026.
Justice Emmanuel Subilim issued the order on Friday while ruling on a motion ex parte filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The application was argued by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami Shiru, who led the government’s legal team.
Named as respondents in the suit are NARD, its National President, Dr. Mohammad Suleman, and its Secretary General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim.
The court order followed NARD’s announcement on January 3 that it would resume its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike, tagged TICS 2.0, from January 12, citing the Federal Government’s alleged failure to implement agreements reached with the association.
In a statement signed by its president, the association said the decision was taken during an Emergency National Executive Council meeting held on January 2.
It described the planned strike as an unavoidable response to the government’s failure to meet multiple deadlines for implementing the Memorandum of Understanding signed with resident doctors.
As part of preparations for the industrial action, NARD had directed presidents of its 91 centres nationwide to convene congress meetings and address the media.
The association also planned to hold 91 press conferences across the country within seven days to highlight doctors’ welfare concerns.
According to the statement, the NEC resolved to resume TICS 2.0 under the slogan “No Implementation, No Going Back,” with effect from 12:00 a.m. on January 12, 2026.
It also announced centre-based protests scheduled to hold between January 12 and January 16, to be followed by regional and national protests coordinated by the NARD National Officers’ Committee.
NARD said suspension of the strike would only be considered after the full implementation of its minimum demands.
The association had earlier suspended a 29-day indefinite strike on November 29 after signing the MoU with the Federal Government, which committed to meeting its demands within four weeks.
The demands include the reinstatement of five resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja; payment of promotion and salary arrears; and full implementation of the professional allowance table with arrears captured in the 2026 budget.
Other demands involve clarification on skipping and entry-level issues by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; reintroduction and implementation of the specialist allowance; resolution of house officers’ salary delays and arrears; issuance of a pay advisory; re-categorisation and issuance of membership certificates after Part I examinations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria; commencement of locum and work-hours regulation committees; and the resumption and timely conclusion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement process.
NARD explained that the one-week notice period before the proposed strike was meant to allow for congress meetings, media engagement, and statutory notifications to security agencies and hospital managements nationwide.
