The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has warned that it may resume its suspended nationwide strike following an alleged breach of agreement by the Dangote Group.
The warning, issued in Abuja on Thursday, has raised fears of fresh disruptions to the supply of petroleum products across the country.
In a statement signed by its National President, Mr. Williams Akporeha and General Secretary, Mr. Afolabi Olawale, the union accused the Dangote Group of disregarding commitments made under a peace agreement brokered earlier in the week by the Federal Government at the Department of State Services headquarters.
The agreement was intended to guarantee workers’ rights and promote industrial harmony within the petroleum tanker drivers’ operations.
According to NUPENG, trouble began on Wednesday, September 10, when Alhaji Sayyu Dantata allegedly directed his tanker drivers, many of whom belong to NUPENG’s Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch, to remove the union’s stickers from their trucks.
The union said the move was a deliberate attempt to weaken its influence and contravene the terms of the agreement.
The following day, September 11, the Dangote drivers were allegedly instructed to storm the Dangote Refinery for product loading despite being blocked by union officials who accused them of violating established loading rules and regulations.
The union described this as a provocative act that threatened both safety and established industrial procedures.
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“We are, by this statement, placing all our members on red alert for the possible resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action,” the union declared.
NUPENG further called on organised labour, civil society groups, and the general public to resist what it described as the overreach of the capitalist class. It specifically accused Dantata of attempting to undermine state institutions and labour rights.
”We call on everyone to let Alhaji Sayyu Dantata know that he is not bigger than Nigeria. We strongly condemn his disregard for official institutions of this great country,” the statement read.
The union also expressed concern about the use of security agencies to intimidate workers, warning that any such attempts would be met with stiff resistance. It urged the Federal Government to intervene immediately to avert a nationwide strike, which could cripple fuel distribution at a time when the country is already grappling with economic pressures.
NUPENG reaffirmed its solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress , and other civil society organisations, insisting that the rights of workers must be defended.
The statement concluded with a call for vigilance among its members and readiness to act should the breach of agreement persist.
The development highlights the growing tension between organised labour and corporate entities in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
A strike by NUPENG, whose members play a central role in transporting petroleum products nationwide, could lead to widespread fuel scarcity and further economic strain.
NAN
