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Dangote Refinery Accuses PENGASSAN Of Economic Sabotage

.. Directive Threatens Fuel Availability, Government Revenue

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of attempting to sabotage the country’s energy supply chain following a directive issued by the union to its branches to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the company described the directive as “a brazen display of lawlessness and criminality,” warning that the move could plunge Nigeria back into widespread fuel scarcity and disrupt the availability of key petroleum products, including petrol, aviation fuel, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas.

According to Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN on 26 September instructed its members in various multinational oil companies and subsidiaries including TotalEnergies, Seplat, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, and NGIC to halt crude oil loading operations and cut off gas supply to the facility “with immediate effect.”

The refinery stressed that the union has no legal authority to interfere with contracts signed between the refinery and its suppliers, insisting that such interference amounts to “economic sabotage” against both the company and the Nigerian state.

“This is a brazen, albeit shocking display of lawlessness and criminality by PENGASSAN. Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all. There is also no law in our statute books that would support or enable the PENGASSAN branches having to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all,” the statement read. “Besides, it constitutes a criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere howsoever in the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the Refinery. Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into by Dangote Refinery with third party vendors and suppliers and PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt and/or interfere with the performance of those contracts”.

It noted that PENGASSAN needs to be reminded that Nigeria is a country governed by laws.

“Our laws do not brook self-help and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy,” it added.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery, world’s largest single-train refinery and one of Nigeria’s highest taxpayers, argued that the directive undermines investor confidence and threatens revenues accruing to federal and state governments. The company also described the refinery as a strategic national asset that should be safeguarded rather than targeted.

“We are, by this write-up, drawing the attention of the Federal Government and its security and law enforcement agencies – as well as all other levels of governments in Nigeria – to this criminal, lawless, reckless and irresponsible conduct of PENGASSAN and calling on them – the Federal Government and its agencies, in particular – to call the Association to order. PENGASSAN has no right to introduce anarchy and mayhem into our society. The Association is not above the law, and it must not be allowed to believe that it is or behave as if it is,” it said

The statement further criticised the union for what it called “a contradictory stance,” noting that while PENGASSAN had earlier pledged to pursue legal action against the refinery, it “abandoned the path of lawfulness and embraced mob action.”

The refinery noted that apart from the lawlessness and criminality inherent in the PENGASSAN’s instruction to its branches, the Association’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels.

“In plain language, PENGASSAN has directed its branches to disrupt and stop the supply of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery to Nigerians. The products that would be disrupted and stopped include but are not limited to aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas – all products that are used and required by all stripes of Nigerians and persons living in Nigeria, whether high and mighty or lowly and ordinary. In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce insufferable hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians? None that we can see. The follow up question is, in whose interest and on whose behalf is PENGASSAN directing and intending to inflict such anarchic and criminal disruption upon the Nigerian society and persons living in Nigeria? Most certainly, not in the interest of the Nigerian State and/or the Nigerian public and citizens,” it added.

It stressed that it is also economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels as the Dangote Refinery is the only refinery of its type in Africa and ordinarily should be the pride of all Nigerians as well as the governments of Nigeria.

“It should ordinarily have special protection and status and indeed qualifies as a strategic national asset. An irreparable injury to the Dangote Refinery such as PENGASSAN has directed constitutes a national embarrassment to all of us. The directive is a disincentive to external investors who ordinarily would have been encouraged by the success of Dangote Refinery to contemplate investing in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector or generally. PENGASSAN may also not be aware that Dangote Refinery is one of the largest contributors to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments – both Federal and sub-nationals. That contribution is currently threatened by PENGASSAN and would of course be paused if and as soon as and for as long as the PENGASSAN directive is implemented by its branches,” it added.

Calling on the federal government and security agencies to intervene, the company urged Nigerians to resist any attempt to disrupt refinery operations, warning that compliance with the directive would cause “irreparable hardship” for households and businesses nationwide.

“We are also calling on all Nigerians to take note of the unquantifiable and irredeemable hardship which PENGASSAN wishes to inflict on all of us. There is no Nigerian household that does not use or need the petroleum products which PENGASSAN has now directed its branches, by fiat, to withdraw from the Nigerian market – again, we list some of them: petrol, cooking gas, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel. The production and supply of these products by Dangote Refinery would cease if the PENGASSAN cabal is allowed or permitted to enforce its lawless and criminal “directive”. The Association must not be allowed to ride roughshod on Nigerians. The repercussions from the PENGASSAN directive would affect and inflict harm on all Nigerians This is therefore a fight for all Nigerians,” noted the statement.

by Dan Poster — September 29, 2025 in Business 0

Isuikwuato agog as Hon. Nnaemeka Obi empowers Okada riders

It was a celebration of sorts on Friday, September 26, 2025, as one of Isuikwuato’s emerging stars, Hon. Nnaemeka GodsPrince Obi, excited motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada riders, operating in the whole local government area by ensuring they all got free fuel.

The free distribution was done at Sane Consult International Limited, a Petrol Station located in Ovim.

The Okada riders were not just elated by the free petrol but by the news that the gift would be given out every month.

The information which spread like wild fire went round the whole local government as the motorcycle riders turned out in their numbers, hailing OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, the organization that handled the petrol empowerment.

Eyewitness account said all the Okada riders had the OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION stickers on their bikes as a sign of solidarity.

Chairman of Okada riders in Isuikwuato, who mentioned his name as Chibuzo, expressed his appreciation for this gesture and maintained that the Patron, Hon Nnaemeka Obi, is a worthy son.

“We are very happy for this gift and we will support him in any way we can, and anywhere he wants to go.”

However, a Foundation member told him that the gesture is selfless and not because he is contesting any elective post.

The Okada operators maintained a show of solidarity, saying they will come out in mass to back him up if he decides to seek any elective post now or in the near future.

OBI NNAEMEKA FOUNDATION, whose motto is”The Light has Come”, is a philanthropic organization designed to lift the less privileged as well as pursue the well-being of Isuikwuato citizens.

Hon. Nnaemeka Obi, the prime mover of the Foundation said that he is a proud son of Umuokogbuo Eluama in Isuikwuato local government.

He said he created the foundation to give back to society. While the activities kick-started with Okada riders, “it will extend to other persons”, he noted.

Picture: Okada riders filing to take their turns.

by DFC Management — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

Gov. Otti to US Envoy: Abia Wants Partnerships, Not Handouts

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has declared that his administration is more interested in forging partnerships with the United States than receiving aid or handouts, stressing that the state has much to offer in mutually beneficial cooperation.

A press statement signed by Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor said Otti made the remark while receiving the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Umuahia.

The US envoy commended Otti’s leadership style, noting that his reforms in infrastructure, security, and governance had positioned Abia as a model for good governance in the Southeast.

“Your leadership in Abia has brought real, positive change. Your focus on infrastructure and addressing security challenges has transformed the state,” Ambassador Mills said. “The United States values its partnership with Abia and the Southeast. There are tremendous opportunities here for business and investment, especially with your government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and youth empowerment.”

In response, Governor Otti welcomed the endorsement, emphasizing that Abia was not looking for charity but genuine collaboration that would deliver value to both sides.

“In terms of partnership, we don’t believe in grants and aid. We seek real partnerships, knowing there is a lot of value we can create together,” Otti said. “This is the SME capital of Nigeria, and there are many areas—healthcare, education, waste management, technology, and enterprise development—where Abia can work closely with the US to achieve shared goals.”

The Governor described the Ambassador’s two-day visit as a vote of confidence in his administration and outlined ongoing reforms across key sectors to strengthen economic growth and improve the quality of life for Abians.

He was joined in the closed-door meeting with Ambassador Mills by senior members of his cabinet, including the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, Chief of Staff Pastor Caleb Ajagba, and commissioners in key sectors.

Picture: Governor Otti and Ambassador Mills.

by DFC Management — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

2027: Why North-west support for Tinubu is expected – Olawale

A public affairs analyst, Olaniyi Olawale, has explained why it is expected for the North-West region of Nigeria to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said president Tinubu has done several landmark projects in the region as justification for the support, citing the almost completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano roads, the Kano-Maiduguri and other project executions.

Olawale, who doubled as the coordinator of the Progressive Foundation Movement (PFM), said Kano stakeholders, led by the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, the lawmaker representing Bichi Federal Constituency and the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, and other political heavyweights, rallied support for Tinubu because of his administration’s developmental interest on the region.

“The Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road is almost completed. Kano-Maiduguri sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 are almost completed. The Kano-Katsina project is almost completed.

“And in the next one to two months, Mr President will come to Kano to lay the foundation for the Light Rail project in Kano State.

“That project will cost more than one billion US dollars and, of course, is going to be one of the most important projects in Northern Nigeria,” he said.

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in Politics 0

Ekiti community youths protest alleged plot to impose monarch

Youths in Araromi-Obo, a community in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Friday staged a protest against what they described as a plot to impose a new traditional ruler on the town.

The protesters accused certain people of attempting to manipulate the community’s traditional system through the controversial appointment of warrant chiefs, allegedly to pave the way for their preferred candidate.

Addressing journalists after the demonstration, the President of Araromi-Obo Youths, Mr Sunday Faseluka, stressed that the town already had established kingmakers who had faithfully served for more than two decades.

He listed them as Oisangan, Chief Oluwole Egunjobi; Ejigbo, Chief Joseph Alabi; and Ejisun, Chief Ajayi Sunday.

According to Faseluka, the attempt to replace these chiefs while they are still alive was unconstitutional, illegal, and provocative, warning that such actions could destabilize the peace of the community.

He alleged that those behind the move were acting out of selfish interest and seeking to undermine the integrity of the traditional process.

The group’s secretary, Mr Deji Alabi, also accused the masterminds of plotting to sideline the kingmakers in order to favour Prince Ebenezer Ojo, whom he claimed was being positioned to ascend the throne.

Alabi described the plan as unacceptable, insisting that the people of Araromi-Obo would resist any attempt to subvert their customs and traditions.

“We want to inform the government that Mr Ebenezer Ojo, whom some people are trying to impose on the community, can neither read nor write. In this current dispensation, we do not want an illiterate as a king,” he said.

“What we want is an educated person who can bring development to our town. The appointment of warrant chiefs is only a ploy to favour Mr Ojo, and we, the youths, reject the attempt outright.”

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in General News 0

FAAN To Flag-Off Digital Payment Systems At Nigerian Airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would soon roll out” Operations Go Cashless “, a contactless payment solution at airports nationwide.

The pilot phase of the new arrangement, the Authority said, will be flagged off with Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

According to a statement by the airport Authority, the new payment architecture is part of its broader strategy to automate and digitise its operations.

FAAN said the new system will be driven in partnership with Paystack, a financial technology platform

The statement reads:” Effective September 29, 2025, all payments at FAAN’s revenue points, including airport Access Gates, Car Parks, FAAN VIP and Protocol Lounges, will go cashless, which means we will be phasing out the collection of cash at these points.

Travellers and airport users will now enjoy fast and seamless services by using a secure contactless payment option.

This initiative responds to the growing demand for safe, modern, and transparent payment systems while ensuring Nigeria’s airports remain aligned with global digital trends.

” By reducing reliance on cash, FAAN aims to enhance efficiency, improve revenue assurance, and deliver a better customer experience at our airports.

“To ease the transition, trained brand ambassadors have been deployed at access gates and around the terminals to guide users, assist with onboarding, provide demonstrations, and answer questions they may have.

“In addition, passengers can obtain a FAAN Go Cashless Card at any airport access gate in Lagos and Abuja. After collection, users are encouraged to activate and fund their cards immediately.”

by Dan Poster — September 27, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0

NPA Boss unveils reform agenda for competitive, investor-friendly Ports

Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the authority is working to build a globally competitive port system that will enhance trade facilitation, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic future.

Dantsoho disclosed this while delivering a paper titled “Optimising Digitalisation and Trade Facilitation for Regional Growth” at a side event of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

He said the NPA was implementing reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a hub for maritime commerce in West and Central Africa, leveraging technology and international best practices.

According to him, ongoing efforts include the deployment of port community systems, expansion of hinterland connectivity through rail and inland dry ports, and the entrenchment of a service culture that prioritises efficiency and competitiveness.

Dantsoho stressed that a robust and digitally driven port ecosystem was critical to unlocking the country’s economic diversification agenda and sustaining regional integration.

He added that the NPA remained committed to strengthening partnerships with global stakeholders to ensure Nigerian ports operate at par with leading maritime gateways around the world.

Picture: NPA MD, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho

by DFC Management — September 26, 2025 in Transport/Maritime 0

DESPERATION Taken Too Far: OBINNA ORIAKU Inciting Ethnic Conflict

By Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA

The busy-body, attention-seeking, and desperate former Commissioner for Finance in Abia State, a PDAPC chieftain and the Commissioner designate representing Abia State in the Federal Character Commission, Mr. Obinna Oriaku has taken his petty and hate-ridden cynicism, falsehood, lies, and misinformation in the guise of opposition politics, beyond the boundaries of sanity and acceptable discourse.

In an incitement-laden false alarm on his social media account yesterday, Mr. Obinna Oriaku demonstrated his reckless readiness to endanger and sacrifice his State, the Igbo Nation, the lives, properties, and businesses of our people across the Country, including the peace of the Country, on the altar of desperate and petty opposition politics.

Mr. Oriaku’s inciting and dangerous dimension is more worrisome because he can pass off as an educated elite who understands the prevailing ethnic volatility and mutual suspicion in Nigeria but chooses to ignite a flame that can set the Country ablaze and consume the lives and sources of livelihood of our people in the name of opposition politics and being critical of his nightmare, Governor Alex Otti.

Oriaku’s false alarm, concoction, lie, misinformation, and incitement about banning Fulanis from entering Abia State are not only irresponsible but also dangerous and wicked.

Why would a mammal that eats food and drinks water accuse a detribalised Nigerian like Governor Alex Otti of banning Fulanis from a State where he has not only abolished the indigene policy but also declared that anybody who lives in Abia is an Abian and has demonstrated it, both in words and actions by appointing non-Igbos into positions of authority in the State and hired workers into the State’s workforce on merit irrespective of State of origin, ethnicity or religion? Under Governor Otti in Abia State, where you are from is no longer a part of interview questions.

Obinna Oriaku’s resort to ethnic incitement, clannishness, lies, and blackmail in the name and guise of opposition has further exposed his desperate thirst for political power even at the risk of sacrificing the blood of his own people.

Under Governor Otti, Abia State is open for business to all Nigerians, Africans, and the globe, irrespective of race, tribe, ethnicity, and religion. Gov. Otti as a private sector person has lived and worked in different parts of the Country, and appreciates the fact that every Nigerian is free to peacefully live and work in any part of the Country without restriction or molestation, and can never conceive the idea of banning or restricting any Nigerian in any part of Abia State.

This madness by Obinna Oriaku, which is capable of endangering the lives and properties of Abians and Igbos living in the Northern part of the Country, must be condemned by all men of good faith and lovers of peace. Nigeria must not be turned into a theatre of war, ignited with propaganda and lies, just to satisfy the desperate power thirst of one man.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA is Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.

by DFC Management — September 26, 2025 in General News 0