LAGOS – The Concerned Nigerian Consumers Forum has raised the alarm over what it described, as a calculated move by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to sabotage the operations of the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Refinery.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Comrade Olabisi Taiwo (President) and Dr. Justice Akani Alikor (Secretary), the group called on the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS) to launch an immediate investigation into the union’s actions, warning that such interference could plunge the nation back into fuel scarcity and economic instability.

The Forum, representing the voice of ordinary Nigerian consumers, expressed deep concern over PENGASSAN’s threat to picket the $20 billion refinery over claims of mass layoffs, a move the Forum believes is not only unfounded but deeply suspicious.

“Nigerians must ask; who truly benefits if the Dangote Refinery fails?” the Forum queried.

“Certainly not the ordinary citizens, but the fuel importers and rent-seekers who profit from national chaos.”

The Dangote Refinery, with a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, stands as the world’s largest single-train refinery. It was conceived to solve Nigeria’s perennial fuel crisis by ending reliance on imports, stabilizing pump prices, and creating jobs.

The Forum described the refinery as a “beacon of national progress” and rejected claims that it is anti-labour. It noted that over 3,000 Nigerians are currently employed at the facility, with more being recruited.

“The company’s internal restructuring was driven by operational challenges, including acts of sabotage—not anti-worker sentiment,” the statement noted.

Recalling the historical role of PENGASSAN and NUPENG in the decline of Nigeria’s public refineries, the Forum accused the unions of previously resisting reforms, frustrating privatization, and resorting to strikes that crippled supply chains.

“They were complicit in turning our national refineries into monuments of corruption and inefficiency,” the Forum added.

The group further criticized the union’s defiance of a court order restraining industrial action at the Dangote facility, describing it as “union overreach” and a blatant disregard for the rule of law.

It also condemned the use of inflammatory language by union leaders, referencing a recent remark that likened current events to “a witch crying in the night,” calling it “reckless, divisive, and unbecoming of responsible leadership.”

The Forum has urged PENGASSAN to abandon what it termed “irresponsible unionism,” respect judicial processes, and return to the negotiation table.

“This is not the time for grandstanding. The refinery represents our best shot at energy self-sufficiency. We cannot allow narrow interests to jeopardize national progress,” they warned.

It called on the Ministries of Labour, Petroleum Resources, and Justice to urgently intervene and safeguard the refinery’s operations.

“The Federal Government must send a clear message; industrial blackmail will not be tolerated.”

In conclusion, the Forum reiterated its commitment to progress, stability, and rule of law, calling on all Nigerians to support the refinery as a national symbol of hope and transformation in the energy sector.