The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) don enter serious wahala with Dangote Refinery after di agreement wey dem sign just two days ago collapse like pack of cards. Di deal, wey suppose allow tanker drivers unionise freely under NUPENG, don scatter as Dangote management allegedly backtrack on di terms, sparking fresh tension and threat of nationwide strike.

According to NUPENG, Dangote Group begin dey instruct drivers to remove union stickers from their trucks, despite signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) wey guarantee workers’ right to join union. Di union say na Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, Dangote ally, give di order on September 10, and even go as far as calling military to intimidate union officials wey block illegal loading at di refinery.

Di MoU wey dem sign on September 8 for DSS office get representatives from Federal Government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Dangote Group. Di agreement clearly talk say workers wey wan unionise go get full right to do so without fear or victimisation. But NUPENG say Dangote don violate di deal, and dem don put all members on red alert for strike resumption.

Dangote Refinery management don deny di accusations, call am “cheap blackmail,” and insist say operations dey go on without fuel shortage. But NUPENG say di refinery dey recruit new drivers wey dem force to sign undertaking say dem no go join any union. Di union describe di move as anti-labour and illegal under Nigerian law and international conventions.

As di matter dey boil, civil society groups and labour bodies don begin show support for NUPENG. Di union say dem no go gree make Dangote or any investor turn Nigerian workers to slaves. Di Federal Ministry of Labour never issue official statement yet, but Nigerians dey brace for possible fuel scarcity if strike resume. For now, di clash between NUPENG and Dangote don turn full-blown industrial war wey fit affect fuel supply nationwide.