Protesters march in Kaduna, ask FG to protect Dangote refinery from ‘oil cartel’

Protesters took to the streets of Kaduna on Monday, accusing an “oil import cartel” of undermining local refining efforts, particularly targeting the Dangote refinery.

The demonstration, organised by Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP), began peacefully at Murtala Square and proceeded through major roads including Ali Akilu road, Ahmadu Bello way, and Muhammadu Buhari way.

Protesters carried banners and sang solidarity songs, condemning players in the fuel importation business for frustrating private refining initiatives.

Igwe Ude-Umanta, PANEP convener, said the protest was part of a broader campaign against the “cartel” responsible for destroying Nigeria’s public refineries and textile industry.

“This struggle is 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 said.

He said the protest began in Abuja on October 2 and is set to continue in other cities.

“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,” Ude-Umanta said.

The protesters called on the federal government to protect the Dangote refinery from “coordinated attacks” by the oil import cartel.

Ude-Umanta also criticised the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), accusing the union of siding with importers.

“What PENGASSAN did was not unionism. It was sabotage. The federal government should have arrested their leadership to serve as a deterrent,” he said.

The group urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure local refineries receive crude oil at the same price offered to foreign refiners, adding that this is key sustaining refineries and boosting investor confidence.

PANEP also called for tariffs or ban on imported petrol, noting that such measures are common in countries seeking to protect their economies.

Dahiru Maishanu, PANEP’s northern coordinator, accused the cartel of blocking access to locally produced LPG and aviation fuel.

He warned that failure of the Dangote refinery could deter future investment in Nigeria’s oil sector.

“If we allow them to kill Dangote Refinery, no investor will ever risk bringing money into this country again,” he said.