The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has defended its decision to lay off some employees.

The refinery explained that the decision is a restructuring process necessary to protect operations from repeated acts of sabotage.

In a statement, the refinery said the exercise was not arbitrary but aimed at addressing security concerns and safeguarding staff.

It confirmed that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at the plant.

The company said:

“Intermittent sabotage incidents have raised safety concerns and disrupted critical operations. Without decisive action, the facility could face long-term instability."

It stressed that it upholds international labour standards, including workers’ right to unionise.

Labour union mobilises

The defence comes after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) accused the refinery of sacking more than 800 Nigerian workers and replacing them with about 2,000 expatriates, mainly from India.

The union described the move as anti-labour and a violation of Nigerian laws. Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN’s general secretary, insisting that the layoffs breach both the Labour Act and the Trade Union Act, Punch reports.

He said: “We are deeply saddened by the unjust termination of these workers."

In a way of protest PENGASSAN has called on its members to stop the supply of gas.

The row escalated on Monday when PENGASSAN declared a nationwide strike that paralysed operations at key regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in support of PENGASSAN mobilised workers for a strike against the $20 billion facility.

The NLC has since directed its affiliate unions to mobilise for broader action, accusing Dangote Group of “union-busting” and operating “as a state within a state.”

NLC president Joe Ajaero said the dispute reflected a pattern of anti-worker practices.

He wrote in an internal memo:

“The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression."

Dangote secures order

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction restraining the PENGASSAN and its allies from halting gas supply to the Dangote Refinery.

But PENGASSAN rejected the ruling, saying it had not been formally served with any injunction.