The vice-president of Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin, says the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has recorded 22 cases of sabotage since it began operations.
Edwin disclosed this while clarifying that the recent restructuring, which led to the dismissal of some staff members, had no link to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
He made this known during a tour of the refinery by Bubaraye Dakolo, the King of Ekpetiama Kingdom and chairman of the Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council.
On September 26, Dangote refinery confirmed that only a “small number of workers” were let go, while PENGASSAN claimed that over 800 employees were dismissed due to a dispute with the refinery.
Dangote refinery said the affected workers were removed to protect the facility from ongoing acts of sabotage that “have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency”.
PENGASSAN directed its members to begin a nationwide strike on September 28 over the issue, but the strike was suspended on October 1 after federal government intervention.
Dangote Group later agreed to redeploy the dismissed workers to other subsidiaries.
Responding to PENGASSAN’s claims, Edwin said the restructuring became necessary following repeated sabotage attempts.
“We have been under repeated attacks like some people have pointed out earlier. Originally, the refinery, they said it will not even come up. Then they said it will not be commissioned and start production,” he said.
“We went through all those phases. Then they said, okay, we have an issue with PENGASSAN, which is totally false news. Because when we went and had a meeting in Abuja with the ministers and the security agencies, I repeatedly emphasised that we have no issue with PENGASSAN.
“The reorganisation we did, had nothing to do with PENGASSAN. We started facing incidences of sabotage. We have 22 incidences of sabotage.
“You are all aware. You have seen fires in the past, even in Kaduna refinery and some of the other refineries. There were attempted fire incidences.
“I have the dates, the unit where it was done, and when it was done. All are documented data. Because you went to the master control room, you know that all the data are completely captured.”
Edwin said the ultra-modern systems installed at the Dangote refinery prevented the sabotage attempts from damaging any equipment.
“And same way, equipment trying to be brought down. Somebody will open a valve to try to see if it will break down. Fortunately for us, by the grace of God, it’s a very ultra-modern refinery.
“So when somebody starts a fire somewhere, the fire protection system is so well, it is immediately controlled. Same way, when they try to break down an instrument by opening a valve or adjusting some instruments, some other instrument overrules it and stops. But it is documented.
“So we started looking at it, and then we were a bit concerned. Somebody can just bring a major shit down. And a lot of the investment has gone inside.
“That is why we did this massive reorganisation. It has nothing to do with PENGASSAN and I repeatedly emphasise, even the dates or planning, everything is different.”
Edwin added that the scale of sabotage attempts posed a serious threat to the multibillion-dollar investment, prompting immediate action through a “massive reorganisation.”