By Erewunmi Peace

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has denied claims that it carried out a mass dismissal of workers, insisting that the recent changes in its workforce were part of a routine reorganization aimed at addressing sabotage and inefficiency.

Reports earlier in the week alleged that the refinery, located in Lagos, had sacked hundreds of staff, sparking outrage from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The union accused the management of intimidation, withdrawal of staff buses, and barring some employees from accessing the facility.

However, in a statement released Friday, refinery management described the allegations as “unfounded and misleading.” It confirmed that some staff contracts were terminated but stressed that over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed in the facility.

“The adjustment is a targeted process to strengthen operations and ensure safety. It is not a mass sack, as reported in some quarters,” the refinery explained.