Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kaduna on Monday, accusing a cartel in the oil sector of undermining local refining efforts.
The protest, which was themed “National Unity Against Sabotage: Reclaiming Our Petroleum Sector for the People,” was organised by Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP).
It started at Murtala Square through major roads, including Ali Akilu Road, Ahmadu Bello Way, and Muhammadu Buhari Way.
The group accused players in the fuel importation business of frustrating the Dangote Refinery and other private initiatives in the sector.
Speaking during the peaceful protest, PANEP convener, Igwe Ude-Umanta, accused the cartel of destroying the refineries and the textile industry in Nigeria.
He said the protest was “a struggle against the cartel that destroyed our public refineries, killed the textile industry, and now wants to strangle the Dangote Refinery.
“We will not let them succeed. The days of holding Nigeria hostage are over.”
He added that the protest is part of a “national liberation effort”.
He said the campaign began in Abuja on October 2 and would continue in other cities.
The PANEP convener explained that Kaduna was chosen for the protest because of its symbolic place in Nigeria’s industrial history.
“Kaduna used to be a textile hub before the same pattern of sabotage destroyed it.
“Today, they want to replicate that in our petroleum sector by frustrating local refining. We will resist them.”
PANEP called on the federal government to protect the Dangote Refinery, alleging coordinated attacks by an oil import cartel.
Ude-Umanta also criticised the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), accusing the union of acting in the interest of importers
“What PENGASSAN did was not unionism, it was sabotage. The federal government should have arrested their leadership to serve as deterrent”, he said.
The group asked President Bola Tinubu to ensure that local refineries receive crude oil at the same price sold to foreign refiners.
PANEP also asked the government to impose tariffs on imported fuel or stop importation outright.
The group noted that, “Countries that place tariffs are not stupid; they are protecting their economies.”
Also speaking during the protest, PANEP’s northern coordinator, Dahiru Maishanu,.accused the cartel of blocking access to locally-produced LPG and aviation fuel.
He warned that if the Dangote Refinery fails, it could discourage future investment in the country’s oil sector.
“If we allow them to kill Dangote Refinery, no investor will ever risk bringing money into this country again,” he said.
