CSO Alleges NUPENG Sabotaging Dangote Refinery, Worsening Hardship
A powerful coalition of civic actors, the Coalition for Economic Liberation and Social Justice (CELSJ), has issued a stark warning to Nigerians, urging them to unite against what it describes as a "calculated plot by oil principalities and their allies within the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to derail the gains of the Dangote Refinery."
This accusation comes amidst heightened tensions surrounding the refinery's operations and its potential to alleviate Nigeria's reliance on fuel imports.
Source: UGC
Allegations of a $5 million bribe and deliberate sabotage
In a strongly worded statement released after an emergency meeting in Abuja, CELSJ directly accused NUPENG of accepting a $5 million bribe from entrenched players in the oil importation cartel.
According to the coalition, this illicit payment is intended to sabotage the refinery's operations.
Comrade Godfrey Boma, President of CELSJ, asserted that Nigerians would not passively observe vested interests once again hold the nation hostage.
Boma highlighted a concerning pattern of events, noting that "Barely forty-eight hours after the suspension of its strike, NUPENG has suddenly begun a new round of blackmail against the Dangote Refinery."
He further added, "We are reliably informed that a bribe of $5 million has exchanged hands between oil principalities and some compromised union leaders to frustrate the refinery’s operations."
This, he argued, indicates a deliberate orchestration to ensnare the refinery in endless disputes, thereby delaying its stabilisation and pushing Nigeria back into dependency on imported fuel.
A direct attack on the Nigerian people
CELSJ emphasised the gravity of the situation, declaring, "Let it be known that Nigerians will never allow a handful of profiteers to sabotage a refinery that has already begun reshaping the country’s energy future."
The coalition firmly believes that the same forces who amassed wealth from decades of importation rackets are now utilising NUPENG to destabilise the industry.
They consider this a direct assault on the Nigerian populace that must be vehemently resisted.
NUPENG's "reckless and unpatriotic posture"
The coalition did not mince words in criticising NUPENG's leadership, labelling their actions as "reckless and unpatriotic."
CELSJ accused the union of deliberately distorting the terms of an agreement previously reached with the refinery, federal authorities, and other labour stakeholders.
Boma elaborated on the breach of trust, stating, "An agreement was freely entered into before the Department of State Services (DSS), the Minister of Finance, and the Ministry of Labour.
That agreement provided for workers’ unionisation in line with extant labour laws. But within hours of the ink drying on that deal, NUPENG returned to the public space, raising false alarms and threatening fresh strikes.
This is not labour unionism; this is sabotage on a grand scale."
Vigilance and national survival
CELSJ called upon Nigerians across all sectors to exercise heightened vigilance, stressing that any attempt to destabilise the Dangote Refinery directly undermines national survival.
The coalition underscored the economic impact, stating, "Every kobo spent importing fuel is a direct theft of jobs, a direct sabotage of growth, and a direct burden on the Nigerian household."
The group views the Dangote Refinery as a crucial intervention that has begun to break the chains of energy dependency, and they insist that "no cabal or compromised union must be allowed to drag us back into darkness."
Call for government intervention and prosecution
The coalition also appealed to the federal government and security agencies to prevent "paid agents of the oil importation cartel" from using labour activism as a cover to weaken the refinery’s operations.
"We call on the DSS, the Ministry of Labour, and all security agencies to monitor NUPENG’s leadership closely," the statement urged.
"Nigerians will not tolerate another season of strikes designed and paid for by corrupt oil barons. Those who pocketed bribes to undermine national interest must be exposed and prosecuted without delay."
Boma concluded by calling for a massive nationwide mobilisation to protect the refinery against what he described as "internal enemies of progress." He declared,
"This is a defining moment. Nigerians must come out en masse to say no to the agents of oil slavery.
"We must defend this refinery because it is our collective lifeline. NUPENG and their sponsors must understand that the days of holding Nigerians hostage with imported fuel rackets are gone forever."
Depot owners clash with Dangote Refinery
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has debunked the assertion by Dangote Refinery that it can meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply needs.
DAPPMAN said that its members and other depots still control petrol supply across Nigeria, with over 68% dominance.
DAPPMAN’s executive secretary, Femi Adewole, said depot owners are responsible for about 68% of fuel supply nationwide, relative to Dangote’s 22%.
Source: Legit.ng
