Court Stops PENGASSAN From Blocking Crude Oil, Gas Supply to Dangote Refinery
The National Industrial Court in Abuja has restrained the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on its planned strike that would halt crude oil and gas supply to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim, ruling on an ex parte motion on Monday, ordered PENGASSAN and other defendants not to disrupt the refinery’s operations pending the determination of a substantive suit.
Also listed as defendants are the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
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The interim order was secured by the refinery’s counsel, George Ibrahim, who argued that the company—constructed at a cost exceeding $20 billion—provides essential services critical to Nigeria’s economy. He warned that a disruption of crude supply could plunge the country into severe energy shortages.
Ibrahim told the court that recent staff disengagements at the refinery were necessitated by safety concerns and incidents of sabotage, not union membership as alleged by PENGASSAN. He said the union, however, threatened to shut down operations unless the sacked workers, said to number over 800, were reinstated.
Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience favoured the refinery, ruling that allowing the planned action would irreparably harm its business and destabilise the supply of essential services to Nigerians.
The restraining order, which will last for seven days, is to be served on all defendants along with the motion on notice. The matter was adjourned to October 13 for further hearing.
By PRNigeria
