CSOS BACK DANGOTE REFINERY, THREATEN COURT ACTION AGAINST NUPENG OVER ‘ECONOMIC TERRORISM’

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has declared support for Dangote Petroleum Refinery in its ongoing dispute with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over workers’ rights to join trade unions.

The coalition, comprising Civil Rights Defenders Advocates, Citizens for Economic Justice, Nigeria Freedom Network, and others, accused NUPENG of deploying “economic terrorism” and coercive tactics to compel refinery workers and truck drivers to join its ranks.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the coalition’s convener, Dr. Agabi Emmanuel, condemned NUPENG’s alleged strategies of blockades, intimidation, and sealing of trucks to enforce membership, describing the actions as a violation of constitutional freedoms.

“This is not unionism; it is extortion dressed in the garb of workers’ rights,” Emmanuel said, citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association.

The CSOs argued that NUPENG’s actions breached the Trade Unions Act and the Trade Disputes Act, while praising Dangote Refinery for promoting voluntarism and providing a safe working environment. They warned that any attempt by Dangote or other entities to compel workers into union membership would also be challenged in court.

The coalition further urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate alleged sponsors of NUPENG as well as claims of high-profile intimidation involving the Navy and helicopter flyovers.

“Any individual or group found complicit must face prosecution for economic terrorism,” Emmanuel stressed, describing Dangote Refinery as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s energy security.

The CSOs called on the Federal Government, international labour bodies, and civil society groups to denounce what they termed NUPENG’s “economic blackmail” and support efforts to maintain industrial peace.

“The Nigerian people have had enough. We will not tolerate any group holding our nation to ransom,” Emmanuel declared.