BARELY 48 hours after the Department of State Services (DSS) brokered peace between the Dangote Group and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), a fresh crisis has erupted, forcing the union to halt fuel loading operations at the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Refinery in Lagos on Thursday.
News Point Nigeria reports that the latest flashpoint stems from a directive allegedly issued by Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, Managing Director of MRS Oil and Director of Logistics at Dangote Group, instructing tanker drivers to remove NUPENG union stickers from their trucks — a move the union considers a breach of Tuesday’s truce facilitated by the DSS.
On Tuesday, top federal government officials, including Finance Minister Wale Edun, Labour and Employment Minister Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, and Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had joined DSS leadership to mediate the dispute between NUPENG and Dangote Group.
The meeting, which lasted nearly six hours, resulted in an agreement that led NUPENG to suspend a planned nationwide strike.
But by Wednesday, the fragile peace had collapsed.
“On Wednesday morning, based on the agreement reached on Tuesday at the DSS headquarters, our members working with Dangote Refinery were called, we didn’t force anybody and we handed over stickers to them,” one union leader told Daily Trust.
“To our surprise, after a few hours, we heard that the company directed all of them to remove the stickers… When we came here this morning (Thursday), we noticed that all the pasted stickers had been removed. This negates the agreement we had during Tuesday’s meeting.”
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed the development, saying that the company’s actions had forced the union to stop Dangote trucks from loading fuel at the refinery.
“This is to alert the general public and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that notwithstanding the resolution signed at the DSS office with three ministers in attendance, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata on Wednesday instructed all his truck drivers who are NUPENG-PTD members to remove the union stickers from their trucks,” Akporeha said in a strongly worded statement.
“Today, Thursday, he instructed them to forcefully drive into Dangote Refinery to load and union officials stopped them… Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata flew over them several times with his helicopter and then called the Navy of the Federal Republic to come over ostensibly to crush the union officials.”
The union accused Dantata of arrogance and warned that security agencies must not be used to intimidate workers or suppress their right to unionize.
Akporeha said NUPENG had placed all its members on “red alert” for the resumption of its suspended nationwide industrial action, calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and global labour organizations to prepare for solidarity action.
NUPENG’s president called on the Federal Government to prevent what he described as a dangerous precedent where private individuals use state security agencies to intimidate workers.
“His wealth cannot make him be above the law. We call on the Federal Government not to allow the Navy and other security agents being paid by the resources of this country to be used with impunity against the laws and people of this country.”
He reassured Nigerians that NUPENG remains a “patriotic, responsible, and responsive organization” committed to protecting workers’ rights and national interest.
As of the time of filing this report, the Dangote Group had not issued an official statement. An official who spoke off record told journalists to “be on standby,” indicating that a formal response could be released soon.
The Dangote Refinery, which began operations earlier this year, is Africa’s largest oil refining facility and a critical component of Nigeria’s energy security. Disruptions in its operations could affect fuel supply across the country and threaten price stability at a time when the government is battling inflation and subsidy-related controversies.