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Court Stops PENGASSAN, Others From Cutting Gas Supply To Dangote Refinery

Published

3 months ago

September 29, 2025

Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim of the National Industrial Court in Abuja has restrained the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.

Justice Subilim, in a ruling on an ex-parte application by Dangote Refinery on Monday, specifically restrained the defendants, which included the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority, and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, George Ibrahim, from Ogwu James Onoja Law Firm in Abuja, argued the application and secured the order against the defendants.

The senior lawyer, in the ex-parte motion, applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or whatsoever and howsoever called, from calling or directing the halt of crude and gas supply to the Claimant under any guise and/or embarking on any industrial action against the Claimant with a view to crippling, blocking roads, or obstructing the flow of vehicular movement, shutting down operations of the Claimant or licensees of the 2nd to 4th Defendants named in the 1st Defendant’s directives dated September 26, 2025, or by any means frustrating the businesses/activities of the Claimant/Applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

He said, “An order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd–4th Defendants, their employees, members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, licensees, assigns, or whatsoever and howsoever called, from giving effect to the directives of the 1st Defendant to halt the supply of crude and gas to the Claimant, or joining, continuing, embarking on, or in any manner participating in the planned industrial action of the 1st Defendant and its affiliates and cronies, or any other strike whatsoever against the Claimant/Applicant, with a view to frustrating her businesses and operations pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

Ibrahim argued that the Applicant is a petroleum production and/or distribution company licensed to own, operate, and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the general consumption of the Nigerian public, and whose business provides essential services to the Nigerian economy and the general public.

He said that in recent times, there have been incidents of sabotage by some employees of the Claimant at the Claimant’s plant, which raised issues of grave health concern and the safety of human lives.

According to him, the management of the Claimant came to an irresistible conclusion that there should be re-organisation in the plant, which led to the relieving of some of its staff of their employment, and same was communicated to all staff by a memo or circular dated September 25, 2025.

The senior lawyer said that in the early hours of Friday, the 26th day of September 2025, the Claimant received an online report that Nigerian workers were laid off by the Claimant because they joined the 1st Defendant’s union.

According to him, the management of the Claimant, by a press statement, refuted the said report and explained in clear terms that the Claimant was not averse to its members unionizing, as that is their constitutional right, but clarified that the Claimant has over 3,000 Nigerians in its workforce and that only a negligible number of staff were affected by the re-organisation of the plant as a result of sabotage and safety concerns.

The lawyer asserted that by a letter dated September 26, 2025, and circulated online, the 1st Defendant, through its General Secretary, Comrade Lamumba Ighotemu Okugbawa, wrote to the Hon. Minister of Petroleum and Gas and warned that the 1st Defendant and its members were going to take action that would force the Claimant to its knees if the Claimant failed to recall the affected staff, which was described in the said letter as over 800.

He said, “The 1st Defendant issued a press statement on the 26th day of September 2025, wherein it erroneously referred to the laying off of the workers by the Claimant as anti-labour practices, alleging that the workers were being victimized because they joined the 1st Defendant as members of the union, which is not correct.

“Irrespective of the explanation offered by the Claimant in Exhibit DR3, the 1st Defendant became more provoked and directed its Executives and Members in the licensees of the 2nd–4th Defendants, through whom the Claimant accesses crude and gas for its plant, to stop supplying gas to the Claimant.

“The 2nd–4th Defendants are on standby to carry out the directives of the 1st Defendant through their agents and licensees, as mentioned in Exhibit DR6, with a view to stopping the supply of gas and crude oil to the Claimant in order to halt its business and operation as threatened, unless the Honourable Court intervenes.

“The 1st Defendant is going to make good its threat to shut down operations of the Claimant, knowing the strength of its membership across the country, unless the Honourable Court intervenes.

“The Claimant’s plant was constructed with over 20 Billion US Dollars by its promoters to solve the energy problem of Nigeria that has been lingering for decades and has been sailing with good results to consumer satisfaction, and has been making significant contributions to the economy of Nigeria. But the 1st Defendant, if allowed to make good its threat, will undoubtedly plunge Nigeria into the dark days of energy dearth and crisis, and again jeopardize the livelihood of the Nigerian end users and consumers, and negatively impact the economy.

“The 1st Defendant, its members, and protégés in the services of the 2nd–4th Defendants have perfected plans to embark on an industrial action which will cripple the operations and services of the Claimant to the Nigerian public as well as the economy.

“The 1st Defendant has not engaged the Claimant with respect to a dispute, if any, before championing and calling for an industrial action against the Claimant, contrary to the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In his brief ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience is in favour of the Applicants, as the continuation of the strike would irreparably damage its business and cripple the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.

The judge held that it was in the interest of justice for the Court to restrain the Respondents to preserve industrial peace and further aid the continuous provision of essential services to the Nigerian public pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Subilim, while granting the restraining order, directed that same be served on the defendants immediately along with the motion on notice.

The judge held that the restraining order shall last for seven days only.

He subsequently fixed October 13 for hearing of the motion on notice.

Related Topics:Court Dangote Dangote Refinery Pengassan

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Court Dissolves Petitioner’s Marriage Over Lack Of Love, Care

Published

14 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin in Kwara State, on Thursday, dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Aminat Mustapha and Wahab Adeshina, following the petitioner’s insistence.

The petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to her husband following claims of lack of love and care.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while delivering ruling, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written to the court, accepting the divorce application made by his wife.

Aluko, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties, and ordered the woman to observe one month iddah (waiting period) before she could remarry.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the two children in the marriage, ages one and three, to their mother.

He ordered the father to pay a monthly sum of N20,000 for the children’s feeding and maintenance.

The court also held that the respondent will be responsible for their education and healthcare.

Again, the court held that the father has unrestricted access to his children, but at reasonable time adding that he should be notified before any decision is taken on his children.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and send same to the respondent.

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Tinubu Embarks On Three-state Visit

Published

15 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday on a working visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos.

This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.

While in Borno, the President will commission projects executed by the Borno State Government under Gov. Babagana Zulum, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of former Borno Governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and his bride, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, Tinubu will proceed to Bauchi State to condole with the state government and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the renowned Islamic cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi died on Nov. 27.

After the condolence visit, the President will travel to Lagos, where he will spend the end-of-year holidays.

During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to attend several engagements, including the Eyo Festival scheduled for Dec. 27.

The festival, to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, will honour notable personalities, including the President’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Lagos State governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.

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My Wife Dented My Image, Took Our Marital Crises To Radio Stations — Husband

Published

15 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

…He ran away from home after I was delivered of twins —Wife

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Folaji and Ifedayo should go their different ways after it pronounced their marriage dissolved.

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, who gave the judgment, stated that this was imperative to dissolve the marriage for peace to reign.

The plaintiff, Folaji, who dragged his wife to court, accused her of not loving him, always fighting him, and sometimes displaying violence.

Folaji explained that the root of their differences was Ifedayo’s bias for his mode of worship.

According to the plaintiff, he attends a white garment church, which mode of worship the defendant abhors and therefore refused to attend services with him.

Folaji also said that Ifedayo concealed from him the fact that she was suffering from a particular ailment, which he became aware of after she was advised at the hospital to carry out series of tests.

Folaji stated that the differences between him and his wife degenerated to the level that he became a regular face at the police station and also at radio stations, where his wife took their matters to.

The plaintiff told the court that the defendant had done a lot of damage to his image, and thus prayed the court to put an end to their relationship so that he could pick up the pieces of his life.

The plaintiff sought easy access to their children and promised to give them feeding allowance weekly.

He further requested an order restraining his wife from threatening him and from interfering with his private life.

Ifedayo, in her response, agreed that their union be dissolved.

She stated that her husband was inhumane and that he packed out of their house before she was discharged from the hospital after she put to bed a set of twins.

The defendant further said that the plaintiff had never visited her and their children since he walked out of their marriage.

According to her, her husband sent her N20,000 through his counsel after he dragged her to court, but that she declined it because it was a ridiculous amount to feed a set of twins.

Folaji, in his testimony, said: “My lord, my wife, and I had a proper wedding, and I paid her bride price.

“I expected my wife to be submissive to me and do my binding, but the reverse is the case.

“My wife is stubborn and troublesome.

“She swore never to attend my church because it’s a white garment church and that she loathes our way of worship.

“The more I encouraged her to attend, the more she kept her distance.

“She later reluctantly agreed to attend service once a month.

“My wife is secretive. She hid from me for years the fact that she was nursing an ailment. I only became aware of this when the doctor confirmed it after she went through a series of tests when she took ill.

“My wife, rather than being remorseful, decided to make life tough for me.

“She became troublesome and never ceased to fight me.

“She is violent and always hit and harmed me with any dangerous objects within her reach.

“We always dragged ourselves to the police station where we became a regular face.

“My wife, determined to dent my image, took our issues to radio stations where I was invited and our differences were aired.

“I walked out of our marriage when I could no longer tolerate my wife’s misbehaviour.

“She reported me again at the welfare office and, after mediating in our differences, I was asked to provide her with foodstuff and not money, which I did on a regular basis.

“But she has insisted that I would not have rest of mind.

“I pray this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me free access to our children. I promise to make provision for their upkeep on a weekly basis.

“I further request an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Ifedayo, in her response, said: “I agree that our marriage be dissolved. My husband is inhumane and has no conscience, which were the causes of the crisis we experienced in our marriage.

“I was admitted in the hospital to be delivered of our set of twins, but I returned to meet an empty house. My husband deserted me and our newborn children.

“He never checked on them nor gave anything for their upkeep. He only gave them N20,000 of recent through his counsel after he came to court.

“I rejected the money because such an amount can not feed sufficiently two children of their age, not to mention other needs.

“I plead that the court grant me custody of our children and make my husband responsible for their upkeep.

“I want him to give attention to their feeding and pay their school fees as and when due.

“He should likewise be available any time they need medical attention.”

Giving her judgment, Mrs Akintayo said although both had a valid customary marriage and bride price was paid, the court had no choice than to grant their prayers of divorce since they now express their disinterest in it.

Akintayo ruled that they were no longer husband and wife.

She granted custody of their children to the defendant, stating that they were still minors in need of motherly care.

The defendant was granted access to their children on a weekly basis while he was ordered to be responsible for their welfare.