Protesters in Kaduna rally in support of the Dangote Refinery, demanding government action against oil cartels and protection for local refining.
Thousands of protesters on Monday shut down parts of Kaduna in a mass rally supporting the Dangote Refinery and condemning what they described as “sabotage” by oil import cartels and some labour leaders.
The march, themed “National Unity Against Sabotage: Reclaiming Our Petroleum Sector for the People,” was organised by the Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP) to demand protection for Nigeria’s only major private refinery.
PANEP leader Igwe Ude-Umanta accused oil importers of conspiring to keep Nigeria dependent on foreign fuel, likening the sabotage to the collapse of Kaduna’s textile industry.
“The cartel that killed our refineries and textile industry now wants to strangle Dangote Refinery. We won’t let them succeed,” he said.
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The group also accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of aiding the sabotage through “economic terrorism,” urging government to impose tariffs or halt fuel imports to safeguard local refining.
Another leader, Dahiru Maishanu, called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure local refineries get crude oil at the same price as foreign buyers, saying the refinery’s early impact on fuel prices showed “Nigerians are already breathing fresh air.”
PANEP warned that undermining the refinery would deter investors and urged the Federal Government to “crush every enemy of Nigeria’s economic progress.”
The protest followed tense labour talks between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery management, which were mediated by the Federal Government after allegations of unfair labour practices — claims the refinery denied.
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