The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned nationwide strike following a high-level meeting with the Federal Government at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The breakthrough came after a three-hour meeting convened by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and attended by key government officials, including the Ministers of Labour and Employment, Health and Social Welfare, Finance, as well as senior officials from the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant-General, and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

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Speaking to journalists after the meeting, NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, said the discussions resulted in firm commitments from the Federal Government to address the association’s longstanding grievances.

“Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved,” Suleiman declared.

He explained that both parties agreed on clear timelines for resolving outstanding salary, promotion and allowance issues that had prompted the association to threaten industrial action.

According to him, the government also committed to implementing agreed measures on meal allowances at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) within a week.

On the issue of delayed salaries for house officers, Suleiman disclosed that the Presidency had issued a standing directive to ensure prompt payment.

“In fact, he has given a standing order that before the 10th of every month, salaries of house officers must be paid,” he said.

The NARD president also revealed that the Federal Government had directed the Ministries of Labour and Health to fast-track negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement so that any agreed terms can be reflected in the 2027 budget.

Beyond welfare concerns, the meeting also addressed the growing incidents of violence against healthcare workers. Suleiman disclosed that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted in the past 10 months.

To tackle the trend, he said the Ministry of Health would strengthen security in hospitals and launch public awareness campaigns against attacks on health personnel.

He further disclosed that the Chief of Staff had pledged to champion legislation that would classify assaults on health workers as an aggravated offence.

“The Chief of Staff has taken it upon himself to introduce legislation so that the National Assembly can come in with something that will make assault on health workers an aggravated offence. We are very glad with that. We think it will send the right signal that health workers should not be assaulted,” Suleiman said.

Addressing the long-running dispute over unpaid hazard and specialist allowances, Suleiman explained that although the Federal Government corrected payment shortfalls in February 2026, a 19-month backlog dating back to July 2024 remains unresolved.

Despite expressing confidence in the outcome of the meeting, Suleiman said the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) would take the final decision on formally calling off the planned strike.

“I have National Executive Council members. I will have a conversation. I have to report all of this back. We sit down. We take a decision.
“The point is, the person that called us for this conversation has never failed resident doctors. That is what I am emphasising.”

NARD had earlier threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from August 10 if the Federal Government failed to address outstanding salary arrears, welfare concerns and other unresolved issues affecting its members.

The Nigerian military has recorded another breakthrough in its counter-insurgency campaign after troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, arrested four suspected logistics suppliers linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during separate intelligence-led operations in Yobe and Borno states.

The operation also led to the interception of 20 suspected family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorists who were reportedly fleeing sustained military offensives in Borno State.

The Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday.

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According to Goni, troops of the 159 Battalion under Sector 2 arrested two suspected Boko Haram collaborators during a cordon-and-search operation in Geidam, Yobe State, following credible intelligence.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly supplied hard drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram terrorists, thereby facilitating insurgent activities,” the statement said.

Items recovered from the suspects included suspected Indian hemp, mobile phones, power banks, scissors, knives, torchlights, lighters, cigarette rolls, Pregabalin capsules, Piscof syrup, identity cards, ATM cards and ₦14,530.

In a separate operation conducted around 3:30 p.m. on the same day, troops of Sector 3 Garrison, in collaboration with the 242 Reconnaissance Battalion, arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers in Monguno, Borno State, after sustained surveillance of terrorist supply routes.

Goni said the suspects confessed during preliminary interrogation that they were transporting food items and other supplies to ISWAP fighters operating in Kwatan Dowoshi Village, Kukawa Local Government Area.

“During preliminary interrogation, the suspects confessed to conveying food items and other supplies to ISWAP terrorists operating in Kwatan Dowoshi Village, Kukawa Local Government Area,” he stated.

Recovered exhibits included 11 cartons and 192 sachets of assorted biscuits, one carton of Peak milk, 10 mudu of sugar, nine bars of Viva soap, six headlamps, two bags and 16 rolls of sachet garri, three packs of lighters, two Tecno button phones, one assault knife, one charm belt, four prayer beads, six packs of herbal medicine and ₦6,600.

In a related development, troops of the 222 Battalion intercepted 20 suspected family members of JAS terrorists during a routine patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The military said the group comprised nine women, two men, eight female minors and one male minor, who reportedly fled their enclave following intensified military operations.

“During preliminary investigation, they disclosed that they escaped from Gezuwa after a military offensive against their settlement. The individuals have since been handed over to the 21 Military Intelligence Regiment for further profiling and necessary action,” the statement added.

The military said all arrested suspects and recovered exhibits had been handed over to the appropriate Military Intelligence units for further investigation.

It added, “These successful operations underscore the effectiveness of Operation HADIN KAI’s intelligence-driven approach in disrupting terrorist logistics, dismantling support networks, and denying insurgents access to critical supplies.”

The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents, while urging members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations across the North-East.

Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.

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“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.

The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.

Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.

The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.

Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.

The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.

Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.

Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.

His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.