The Nationwide Industrial Court docket, Abuja, has accepted an interim injunction restraining the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Pure Gasoline Staff (NUPENG) and the Direct Trucking Firm Drivers Affiliation from embarking on any industrial motion or compelling different truck drivers to affix.
The court docket additionally restrained NUPENG and others from blocking Nigerian roads or irritating or shutting down the operations of Dangote Refinery, MRS Oil Nigeria Restricted, and MRS Oil and Gasoline Firm Restricted.
Justice E.D. Subilim delivered the ruling on Wednesday following a movement ex parte filed by the refinery’s lawyer, George Ibrahim SAN.
The choose was glad that irreparable injury might be triggered to the Dangote Refinery if the required orders weren’t granted.
Authorized Developments
Ibrahim approached the court docket with a Movement Ex Parte filed together with the originating processes and a Movement on Discover, all dated and filed 15/09/2025.
- He partly sought an order of interim injunction restraining NUPENG, its members, brokers, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or in anyway and howsoever known as from embarking on any industrial motion or compelling the Drivers Affiliation and its members to affix any industrial motion orchestrated by NUPENG, with a view to crippling, shutting down operations, or irritating the enterprise actions of his purchasers pending the listening to and dedication of the Movement on Discover.
- He additionally sought an interim injunction restraining the Drivers Affiliation, its members, brokers, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or in anyway and howsoever known as from becoming a member of, persevering with, additional embarking on, or in any method taking part within the deliberate industrial motion declared by NUPENG or every other strike in opposition to the Refinery and MRS, with a view to irritating their companies and operations pending the listening to and dedication of the Movement on Discover.
- The senior lawyer additionally requested the court docket to direct the Drivers Affiliation and its members to proceed petroleum trucking providers to the Refinery, MRS, and the Nigerian public pending the dedication of the Movement on Discover.
- He argued that the actions of NUPENG contravene Part 40 of the 1999 Structure, which offers with the elemental proper to freedom of peaceable meeting and affiliation, in addition to Part 12(4) of the Commerce Union Act.
He additional maintained that the court docket has jurisdiction to intervene within the dispute between the Refinery and NUPENG and the opposite truck drivers affiliation.
In an affidavit deposed by Ahmed Hashem, the Group Basic Supervisor, Authorities and Strategic Relations of the Refinery, the candidates gave an enterprise as to damages if the court docket ultimately determines that the restraining request ought to not be granted.
What the Court docket Mentioned
After listening to George Ibrahim SAN, Justice Subilim held that “this court docket, having glad itself that there’s a severe subject to be tried, that the steadiness of comfort tilts in favour of the Candidates (Dangote Refinery), that irreparable injury could also be occasioned if the required orders usually are not granted, and that the Candidates have given an enterprise as to damages,” NUPENG must be restrained.
The choose subsequently ordered:
“An interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the first Defendant/Respondent (NUPENG), whether or not by itself, its members, brokers, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or in anyway and howsoever known as, from embarking on or continuing with any industrial motion or compelling the 2nd Defendant/Respondent and its members to affix any industrial motion orchestrated by the first Defendant/Respondent with a view to crippling, blocking roads, or obstructing the move of vehicular motion, shutting down operations, or irritating the enterprise actions of the Claimants/Candidates pending the listening to and dedication of the Movement on Discover.
“An Interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 2nd Defendant/Respondent, its members, brokers, servants, privies, representatives, assigns, or in anyway and howsoever known as from becoming a member of, persevering with, additional embarking on, or in any method taking part within the deliberate industrial motion declared by the Defendant/Respondent or every other strike in anyway in opposition to the Claimants/Candidates with a view to irritating their companies and operations pending the listening to and dedication of the Movement on Discover.”
The choose highlighted that these restraining orders shall final for a interval of seven days.
- The choose additionally directed the Candidates to serve the Respondents with the Movement on Discover and all accompanying processes on this go well with inside 7 days from the date of this order.
In the meantime, the choose noticed that the interval for the court docket to behave as choose through the court docket’s ongoing trip elapses on 23/09/2025.
- The choose consequently ordered the remitting of the case file to the President, Nationwide Industrial Court docket of Nigeria, for reassignment to a different choose who will hear and decide the Movement on Discover and the substantive case on the deserves.
Backstory
In a press assertion on Saturday, Dangote Refinery emphasised that it isn’t against unionism and acknowledges staff’ rights to unionize.
The Group added that it respects the rights of all staff to both be a part of or not be a part of a union, consistent with the rules of voluntarism.
“Whereas we’re obliged to guard the rights of staff who select to affix or not be a part of any union, we’re additionally obliged to guard the rights of these staff who, for any motive, resolve to not be a part of,” the assertion partly reads.
The Refinery highlighted that it respects the rights of all its workers to a secure, peaceable, and safe setting, free from threats to their private well-being and supply of revenue.
The Refinery urged the unions to respect these rules for peaceable industrial relations within the oil and fuel trade.
BusinessTimes beforehand reported that NUPENG just lately alleged that, days after agreeing to droop its nationwide strike, Dangote Refinery drivers have been instructed to take away union stickers from their vans and have been pressured to load the power, violating agreed protocols.
The union stated the incident got here after a decision on staff’ rights was signed within the presence of three federal ministers and the Deputy Director Basic of the Division of State Companies (DSS).
The union additionally claimed that Dangote Group official Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata flew over the location by helicopter and summoned the Navy, allegedly to intimidate union officers.
In response, NUPENG positioned members on crimson alert and known as on the Federal Authorities, civil society, and worldwide labor teams to safeguard staff’ rights.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery rejected claims of being monopolistic, saying over 30 refinery licenses have been issued to different non-public gamers, with lively developments by BUA, Aradel, and Walter Smith.
The continuing dispute between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Pure Gasoline Staff (NUPENG) and Dangote Petroleum Refinery drew numerous authorized opinions from legal professionals throughout Nigeria concerning the legality and limits of firm staff becoming a member of a union.
Some argued that worker contract phrases forbidding unionism ought to be revered by workers and third-party organizations.
Others believed that the 1999 Constitutional provision on freedom of affiliation is binding on all individuals and corporations.
