Students under the National Association of Oduduwa Students (NAOS), the Coalition of Yoruba Students, and the Yoruba Movement staged a peaceful protest yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State, in solidarity with the Dangote Refinery, which is currently locked in a dispute with oil unions and petroleum marketers.
The demonstrators gathered at the Iwo Road Roundabout along the Ibadan–Lagos Expressway, chanting solidarity songs before marching through major streets of the city.
They called on the government to protect the refinery from what they described as sabotage.
Carrying placards with messages such as “Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery,” “#StopSabotagingFuelInNigeria,” “#EndPENGASSAN,” “#EndDAPPMAN,” and “#DangoteRefineryIsANationalAsset,” the protesters expressed concern about what they called a coordinated attempt by vested interests to frustrate the operations of the refinery.
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Dressed in matching shirts with the inscription “Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery,” the students said the demonstration was aimed at drawing the attention of the Federal Government and Nigerians to the need to safeguard the multi-billion-dollar facility, which is Africa’s largest oil refinery, from industrial and political sabotage.
Speaking to journalists during the rally, NAOS President, Olalere Adetunji, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and relevant federal agencies to intervene swiftly to ensure that disputes involving oil unions and marketers do not undermine national energy security.
“We want to use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government to protect the refinery. The actions of labour groups and marketers should not be allowed to derail Nigeria’s progress towards fuel self-sufficiency and economic independence,” Adetunji said.
Security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were deployed along the protest routes to maintain order during the peaceful march.
The students described the Dangote Refinery as a national pride and a symbol of hope for Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth, urging all stakeholders to support its successful operation for the benefit of the country.
