The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a strong warning to both the Lagos State Government and the Dangote Refinery over the alleged recruitment of 89 unskilled labourers from Katsina State to work at the refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
The NLC, through its Lagos State chapter, condemned the development, calling it a violation of labour regulations and a potential security threat to the host community.
According to a report by IntelRegion, a viral video showed the 89 youths arriving in a truck and assembling outside a facility near the refinery. Concerned residents alerted the police, prompting a swift response.
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed in a statement that the men were recruited to work at the refinery. A contractor linked to the facility reportedly arranged their relocation from Katsina for “legitimate employment.”
However, Comrade Funmi Sessi, Chairperson of NLC Lagos, criticized the move, describing it as unjust and illegal. Speaking after a National Executive Council meeting of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), she stated:
“What the Dangote Refinery did is very wrong. Labour rules clearly state that 70% of employment opportunities should be given to locals, while 30% can go to skilled external hires. What special skills do these 89 workers have that unemployed youths in Ibeju-Lekki don’t possess? This is a clear violation.”
Sessi further questioned why the workers weren’t recruited for Dangote’s northern operations, instead of bringing them to the South, where jobs should go to local residents.
She urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Federal Ministry of Labour to intervene immediately and compel Dangote to send the workers back to their home state to avoid an industrial crisis.
“This isn’t the first time Dangote has done this. He’s known for bringing in expatriates and foreign technicians, sidelining competent local hands. We will not tolerate this any longer,” she added.
She warned that if no action is taken, the NLC would escalate the matter to its national leadership for a full-scale protest.
In response, a Dangote Refinery spokesperson said the company is investigating the situation, stating:
“We were unaware of the arrival of these workers. They were brought in by one of our vendors, as we have several subcontractors working on the refinery project. We are already looking into the matter.”
