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By Oscar Okhifo, Abuja
A massive crowd of protesters, led by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Wednesday, besieged the main gate of the National Assembly in Abuja, demanding an end to what they described as the “harassment” of Aliko Dangote and his multi-billion-dollar refinery project.
The demonstrators, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “Let Dangote Breathe,” “Protect Dangote Refinery,” “Nigerians and NANS Stand with Dangote,” and “Proscribe PENGASSAN Now,” called on the federal legislature to take decisive steps to safeguard the refinery from what they termed undue interference from labour unions.
Despite the closure of the main gate against the protesters, the demonstration remained peaceful, with security operatives maintaining order throughout the exercise.
Addressing the crowd, NANS President, Comrade Olusola Oladoja, appealed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and all federal lawmakers to intervene in the ongoing face-off between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
“We are here today to register our opposition to what labour unions are doing to Dangote and to Nigerians in general. Is it a crime to be a patriot?” Oladoja queried.
He stressed that protecting the refinery was in the national interest, noting that its full operation would help end Nigeria’s dependence on fuel importation and permanently resolve issues of scarcity and high pump prices.
“If Dangote Refinery is protected and allowed to function effectively, the woes of fuel importation will be over. We say no to harassment, no to PENGASSAN, and no to those who want to frustrate this national asset,” he declared.
Oladoja also lamented the refusal of security operatives to allow the protesters into the National Assembly complex but commended them for maintaining order and preventing any breakdown of law and order.
A protest letter addressed to the leadership of the National Assembly was handed over to security personnel at the gate for onward delivery to the appropriate authorities.