CSO urges vigilance against moves to undermine Dangote Refinery

A coalition of civic actors under the umbrella of the Coalition for Economic Liberation and Social Justice (CELSJ) has called on Nigerians to resist what it described as attempts to derail the operations of the Dangote Refinery. The coalition, in a statement issued after an emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, expressed concern that […]

A coalition of civic actors under the umbrella of the Coalition for Economic Liberation and Social Justice (CELSJ) has called on Nigerians to resist what it described as attempts to derail the operations of the Dangote Refinery.

The coalition, in a statement issued after an emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, expressed concern that vested interests in the oil industry were working against the gains of the new refinery.

Signed by Comrade Godfrey Boma, President of CELSJ, the statement warned that Nigerians must not “fold their arms and watch interests hold the country hostage again.”

“Barely forty-eight hours after the suspension of its strike, NUPENG has begun a new round of disputes with the Dangote Refinery. This pattern suggests a deliberate orchestration to force the refinery into endless disputes and delay its stabilisation, thereby pushing Nigeria back to dependency on imported fuel,” Boma said.

He added that attempts to frustrate the refinery amounted to “a direct attack on the Nigerian people,” stressing that the refinery represents a crucial step toward reshaping the country’s energy future.

CELSJ also faulted what it described as the “posture” of the NUPENG leadership, alleging that the union had backtracked on agreements reached with the refinery, federal authorities, and labour stakeholders.

The coalition urged Nigerians across all sectors to be vigilant, insisting that any attempt to destabilise the Dangote Refinery was tantamount to undermining national survival.

“Every kobo spent importing fuel is a direct burden on the Nigerian household. The Dangote Refinery is one of the few interventions breaking the chains of dependency, and no group must be allowed to drag us back,” the group said.

CELSJ further appealed to the federal government and security agencies to ensure that industrial disputes are resolved in good faith and not used as a tool to weaken the refinery’s operations.

Boma called for nationwide mobilisation to protect the refinery. “This is a defining moment. Nigerians must come out en masse to defend this refinery because it is our collective lifeline,” he said.