The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has barred the Petroleum, Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria, PENGASAN, from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE. The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, made the order after an ex-parte application that was filed before it by Dangote Refinery.
Other defendants in the matter were the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPCL, Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum, as well as the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.
Filing a motion via a team of lawyers led by Mr Ogwu Onoja, SAN, Dangote Refinery applied for an order of interim injunction to restrain the 1st defendant, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives or assigns from halting crude and gas supply to its company.
The refinery also filed to restrain PENGASSAN from embarking on any industrial action that will cripple, block roads, obstruct the flow of vehicular movement, shut down operations of the claimant or licensees of the 2nd to 4th defendants named in the 1st defendant’s directives dated September 26, 2025.
The company informed the court that it is a petroleum production and or distribution firm licensed to own, operate and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the general consumption of Nigerians.
According to the claimant, after recent incidents of sabotage by some of its employees at its plant, its management decided to enforce a re-organisation which led to the sack of some of its staff.
Barring the defendants from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery, the court, through Justice Subilim, ruled that the continuation of the strike action would irreparably damage Dangote Refinery and cripple the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.
He declared that it is in the interest of justice for the court to restrain the defendants so as to preserve the industrial peace and aid the continuous provision of essential services to the people, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The court ordered the service of the restraining order and motion on notice, on the defendants, adjourning the case till October 13 for hearing.
