Thousands of Nigerians, under the umbrella of the Mega Citizens’ Rally and Movement Against Sabotage and Economic Saboteurs in the Petroleum Sector, on Monday held a peaceful demonstration in Kaduna in support of the Dangote Refinery.
The protesters condemned what they described as systemic sabotage against the refinery and other local refining initiatives.
The rally, themed “National Unity Against Sabotage: Reclaiming Our Petroleum Sector for the People, “followed a similar event held in Abuja on Independence Day.
According to the organizers, the movement seeks to build momentum for a citizen-led campaign to end the dominance of oil importation cartels and safeguard Nigeria’s refining capacity.
Speaking at the rally, one of the conveners, Mr. Igwe Ude-Umanta, said the movement had become a national patriotic duty to resist entrenched interests undermining Nigeria’s economic independence.
“We are here to say enough is enough. The Dangote Refinery has become a symbol of hope for local refining ;But the same forces that destroyed our public refineries are now desperate to crush it. We won’t let that happen again,” he said.
Ude-Umanta also accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)of allegedly acting on behalf of foreign-aligned oil interests to destabilize local refining operations — a claim the association has yet to respond to.
Other speakers, including veteran labour leaders and economic experts, called on the Federal Government to take decisive action against those using union platforms to frustrate Nigeria’s refining efforts.
The protesters urged President Bola Tinubu, who doubles as Minister of Petroleum Resources, to ensure crude oil is supplied to the Dangote Refinery at the same price offered to foreign refiners.
They stressed that doing so would be critical to achieving national self-sufficiency in petroleum production.
Drawing parallels with the collapse of Kaduna’s once-thriving textile industry, the speakers warned that similar neglect could cripple the oil sector if urgent measures are not taken.
“Our past was stolen by importation cartels who killed local production. We won’t let that happen again,”;said Dahiru Umar Maishanu, co-convener of the rally;“Dangote Refinery must not fall. It is not just a business; it is a national asset.”
The organizers further urged the President to enact policies discouraging petroleum importation, remove regulatory bottlenecks, and introduce tariffs that would protect and incentivize local refining.
The rally concluded with a pledge to sustain nationwide mobilization until the Dangote Refinery and other local industries are fully protected.
