ABUJA — The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government to safeguard the Dangote Refinery and its assets from sabotage, warning that any disruption could drag the country back into the dark days of fuel scarcity.
In a statement signed by Usman Adamu Nagwaza, Senate President of NANS, the student body expressed deep concern over the ongoing face-off between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
While acknowledging the role of unions in defending workers’ rights, NANS stressed that membership should be voluntary and not enforced through threats or coercion.
“We cannot afford a situation that could degenerate into a national crisis. If the feud between the Dangote Refinery and NUPENG persists, we foresee a likelihood of returning to the days of fuel scarcity,” Nagwaza warned.
The student body praised the Tinubu administration for sustaining fuel availability in recent times, noting that a scarcity now would reverse the modest economic recovery underway.
NANS also raised alarm over intelligence reports suggesting that oil cartels behind past subsidy scams and smuggling may be plotting to exploit the refinery-union standoff. According to the group, there are fears that saboteurs could target the refinery’s newly acquired Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks, with plans to set them ablaze.
“We urge NUPENG to embrace dialogue and avoid becoming pawns in the hands of economic saboteurs,” the statement read.
NANS appealed to the National Security Adviser and security agencies to prioritize the protection of the refinery, describing it as a critical national asset and a beacon of employment and knowledge transfer for Nigerian graduates.
“The Dangote Refinery has contributed immensely to fuel production and eased the burden on Nigerians. Any attack on it is, without question, an attack on the future of our nation,” NANS declared.
The student body urged all stakeholders to resolve the feud amicably and support both government and private-sector efforts to stabilize Nigeria’s energy sector.
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