The Lagos State Government has launched an investigation into the employment of 89 labourers from Katsina State by the Dangote Refinery, located in Ibeju-Lekki, following public outcry and security concerns.
The controversy ignited after a viral video circulated online, showing the young men arriving in the area and gathering near the refinery site. The clip stirred unease on social media, with many Lagos residents expressing fears about potential security threats and a lack of transparency in the recruitment process.
In response, the Lagos State Police Command issued a statement last Friday clarifying the situation. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, officers were dispatched to the location on May 14, 2025, to verify the claims. Preliminary investigations confirmed that the individuals were indeed recruited from Katsina State to serve as labourers at the refinery.
“The contractor working with the refinery appeared before the police and confirmed that he had personally sourced and brought the labourers from Katsina for legitimate employment purposes,” Hundeyin said, adding that each of the men presented valid National Identification Numbers and underwent a full security screening. No illegal items were found in their possession.
Despite police assurances, the matter has drawn criticism from labour groups. The Lagos Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Funmi Sessi, raised concerns about potential violations of labour laws, particularly the exclusion of local youths from employment opportunities within their own host community.
She also criticized what she described as a pattern of neglect and exclusion in major industrial employment practices and warned that the NLC may organize a protest if the matter is not adequately addressed.
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“This isn’t just about security; it’s about fairness. Why are young people in Ibeju-Lekki being sidelined while outsiders are brought in for jobs in their own community?” Sessi asked.
Speaking with The Punch, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the government was aware of the development and was already investigating. He stressed the need to allow security agencies to conclude their work before drawing conclusions.
“We are investigating the matter. I’m sure security agencies are also not unaware of it. It will be nice to let them do their investigation,” Omotoso said.
Sources familiar with the recruitment process claim that the move may have been driven by cost-efficiency and ease of sourcing large groups of labourers quickly. However, critics argue that this practice undermines local employment and could sow seeds of resentment between communities.
The Dangote Refinery, touted as the largest single-train refinery in the world, has been a symbol of industrial ambition and national pride. But it is also increasingly becoming a flashpoint for tensions around local content, labour rights, and security management.
Observers say the outcome of the Lagos State investigation could shape future hiring practices at major private-sector projects across Nigeria.
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