A civil society grouo, Right for Human Dignity and Justice, RHDAJ, has called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, to immediately arrest and prosecute the General Secretary and President of NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, Williams Akporeha and others in the union over what it described as economic sabotage capable of destabilising the country.
The move followed rising tension after NUPENG kicked against Dangote Refinery and MRS Holdings Limited’s policy against unionisation and deployment of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG-powered trucks across Nigeria.
The CSO urged the custodians of the country’s security architecture to work on the intelligence report that suggested that some overzealous members of NUPENG, in connivance with some non-state actors, are planning to burn down Dangote’s CNG trucks.
Citing the ugly experience of the violent #EndSARS protest, the rights group advised the government to be proactive by putting NUPENG in check.
RHDAJ, during a press briefing on Sunday in Port Harcourt, noted that holding a planned nationwide strike and protest scheduled for Monday, September 8, 2025, was “mischievous” and “ill-advised”.
Executive director of the group, Iheanyi Kingsley, said all relevant security agencies in Nigeria should not stand idly by and allow some few “disgruntled elements” who have no respect for the rule of law to shut down the country for their selfish gains.
“The rationale behind holding a planned nationwide strike and protest scheduled for Monday, September 8, 2025, is mischievous and ill-advised. The vicious decision of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers is questionable and perceived to be a deliberate attempt and unpatriotic act that is capable of rubbishing and maligning the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the nation as a whole.
“The intelligence report also suggested that some overzealous members of NUPENG in connivance with some thugs are planning to burn down Dangote’s CNG trucks. This is a wake-up call for the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the DSS to come out forcibly on the Union and order immediate arrest and prosecution of the President and the General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrades Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale.
“The scars of the 2020 EndSARS violent protest are still in the minds of the people; as a result of this, our security agents must never allow the repeat of that ugly past and should urgently put NUPENG in check,” the group stated.
Meanwhile, DAILY POST reports that NUPENG has mobilised its members to begin a strike on Monday, accusing Dangote Refinery of wanting to take Nigeria back to the days of slavery.
Dangote Refinery had earlier announced to rollout 4,000 CNG trucks on August 15th, 2025, however the oil firm has commenced the initiative.
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