The Nigerian government has ordered the reopening of Dangote’s Obajana Cement factory in Kogi state and allow for legal resolution of the dispute.
ASHENEWS recalls that vigilantes, Acting on the orders of the Kogi state government penultimate week, stormed the factory, shot some staff and closed the factory over alleged tax and ownership issues.
However, in a bid to resolve the matter, the presidency summoned both parties to a meeting attended by the President of the Dangote Group, Dangote, Governors Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa) on Friday after which the Federal government ordered the reopening of the factory.
Kogi state government had shut down the Obajana factory over allegations of tax evasion and unresolved ownership, a position that Dangote management debunked.
The Group Managing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Michel Puchercos in a statement had said, “We reiterate that the Obajana Cement plant is 100% owned by Dangote Cement PLC. In forcefully evicting the workers to enforce the shutdown, the vigilantes shot 27 of our workers and destroyed some of the company’s property at the plant.”