The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG) says it has placed all its members on red alert for the resumption of
its suspended nationwide industrial action.
In a statement on Thursday, the union said it made the
decision after Sayyu Dantata, the owner of Mrs Oil, allegedly instructed his
truck drivers, who have been NUPENG-Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) members for
several years, to remove union stickers from their trucks yesterday.
According to the statement, signed by Williams Akporeha,
NUPENG’s national president and Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG’s general secretary,
the action led to an altercation between the truck drivers and NUPENG
officials.
“This is to alert the general public and the government of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria that notwithstanding the resolution reached and
signed at the office of the DSS with three Ministers of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and the Deputy Director General of the DSS in attendance on the right
of unionization of the Workers, Alh Sayyu Aliu Dantata on Wednesday, 10th
September, 2025 instructed all his Truck Drivers who are NUPENG-PTD members for
several years to remove the Union Stickers from their trucks yesterday,” the
statement reads.
“Today, Thursday, 11th September, 2025, he instructed them
to forcefully drive into Dangote Refinery to load and Union officials stopped
them from entering the Refinery to load because their trucks violated Union
loading rules and regulations.”
Consequently, NUPENG claimed Dantata, who is the founder of
MRS Oil, called “navy officers” on the union officials carrying out their duty,
condemning such “attitude towards official institutions of this great country”.
“We are by this statement placing all our members on red
alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action and
calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, all Regional and
Global Working people and Civil Society Organizations to rise in support and
solidarity against this threat of the Capitalist world,” the union said.
The development comes two days after NUPENG suspended its
strike action, in protest against Dangote refinery’s “anti-union practices”.
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