Dangote Petroleum Refinery has admitted that some of its workers were disengaged as part of an ongoing reorganisation aimed at tackling repeated sabotage within its facility.
The company, in a statement released on Friday, said the exercise was necessary to safeguard operations and prevent threats to lives and assets. It explained that the restructuring followed what it described as “intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the Refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns.”
Management noted that over 3,000 Nigerians remain on its payroll despite the shake-up, adding that recruitment is continuing through graduate trainee schemes and experienced hire processes. The statement stressed that only “a very small number of staff were affected” by the action.
While there have been claims that the move was connected to union activities, the refinery insisted it respects internationally recognised labour principles and the rights of employees to join or decline union membership, maintaining that its “commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering.”
The company described the move as an effort to protect the national asset, which it said exists to serve Nigerians, strengthen Africa’s energy security, and provide sustainable jobs.
