Dangote group and Kogi State government are accusing each other over the issue surrounding the Obajana Cement factory, with Dangote saying that governor Yahaya Bello’s unleashing of‘ ’Government Vigilantes or Government Hunters’ on the company is creating a lot of havoc to the staff and equipment.
This is coming even as the state government has accused Dangote group of planning to cause chaos across the state as a counter attack against the decision to get the state’s legally supported equity from the Obajana cement company.
In a statement today, October, 8, Dangote’s spokesman, Timilehi Oyedare said that over 500 Government Vigilantes invaded the Dangote Cement Plant located at Obajana on Wednesday at the behest of the State Governor and forcefully shut down its operations.
“No fewer than 27 Dangote staff are currently in bad conditions after they were shot at by the invaders.”
The statement said that the control rooms have been forcefully shut down and equipment whose monetary value have not been computed have been vandalized.
It said that communication cords have been severed to bring production to an abrupt halt, saying that marauding invaders also blocked the roads, distorted vehicular movement, and restrict the movement of people all around Obajana.
“Since the criminal attack, our vehicles carrying diesel have been attacked along Anyigba road.”
The statement said that victims of the Government sanctioned invasion are currently admitted to the emergency section of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja.
This is even as the state Commissioner of information and communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, in a statement, said: “we have uncovered certain plans by the Dangote Group at a meeting held last night to cause chaos across the state as a counter-attack against the State Government’s decision to get its own legally supported equity from the Obajana Cement Company.
“The latest strategy stems from frustrations occasioned by the failure of the Dangote Group to misinform the general public and its shareholders as the State Government has consistently and continuously presented the facts of the matter to the public.
“A top Management Staff of Dangote Group erroneously called a top Government official as the said meeting was going on to hatch their satanic plans against the Government and people of Kogi State. The call which came in at 10.06pm went on for 28 minutes, 12 seconds, detailing how the Dangote Group intends to doctor documents to prove they own the cement company, 100 per cent; how they intend to use the DSS and other security agencies to arrest top Government Officials on frivolous charges; how they intend to use the EFCC to arrest some Government officials in order to cow them; how they also intend to use the media to promote falsehood against the Government and people of Kogi State and sundry other satanic plans against the people and Government of our dear state.
“Below are the resolutions at their meeting:
* Obliteration of the Agreement between the Kogi State Government and the Dangote Group.
* A plan to use the press to attack the Governor and the Government of Kogi State. Plan to deploy people to the major TV Stations in the country to attack the Governor and the Government of Kogi State.
*Plan to call the EFCC and DSS today to claim those who sealed the company on the orders of the House of Assembly stole the sum of N207m and that those agencies should arrest them.
*They also resolved to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against certain Government officials.
*Lastly, they resolved to block all the major highways across the state with their trucks to make it impossible for the Governor to move out of the state capital. In their words: “We will prove to him that his madness cannot match our own. They said at the meeting that Dangote owns Nigeria and that there is nothing anyone can do to stop him.”
The commissioner said that the over 28 minutes recorded meeting typifies the mindset of an economic oppressor “who thinks he can use every apparatus of the Federal Government to fight our dear state into submission. Nigeria is what it is today because certain individuals think they own the country and can get away with any attrocity they commit.
“We make bold to say that if the Dangote Group attempts to carry out any of his threats or deny our claims above, which are supported by facts, we will release visuals and audio of the said meeting and the whole world will see the mindset and modus operandi of Alh. Aliko Dangote and his conglomerate. We are a people that cannot be destroyed by the whims and caprices of the capitalist dominance that the Dangote Group stands for.
“One of the plans hatched at the meeting was to use Dangote trucks to block all major highways in Kogi State from today to make life unbearable for the people of the state and also launch attacks on commuters across the state in order to cow the State Government into submission in the ongoing ownership determination battle for the Obajana Cement Company.
“We wish to inform the people of Kogi State that the State Government will stop at nothing legal to defend their rights to movement and safety.
We will take steps that are legal to resist the act of cowardice of the Dangote Group to harass, intimidate or harm the people of Kogi State for demanding their rights.
“Let it be clear to all that the Government and people of Kogi State are united against economic oppression under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello. Our resolve to right the wrongs of the past is bigger than those who think they own Nigeria and can get away with anything they do.
“We call on security agencies to be on red alert to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
It is our wish to ensure the agitation to reclaim our equity at Obajana is non-violent as we have all that is required to win the battle. Security agencies should resist the temptation of being used by the Dangote Group to harass officials of Government and our people as hatched at the ill-fated meeting.
“We also want to sound a note of warning to the Dangote Group that Kogi State will not condone any act of lawlessness and that perpetrators will be made to face the full wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed.
“Let it be clear to all that the present administration has overseen the heaviest influx of investments into the state as a result of the enabling environment created. But inasmuch as we crave investments and economic expansion in our dear state, it is our responsibility to protect the interest of the people in those investments.
“Our stand is just and fair. Our decision is to give what belongs to the people to the people and not seek pecuniary interest. That is why Dangote Group is being repeatedly exposed. The Group should do what is right and just to stop further drowning in the murky waters of ignominy.
“We urge the people of Kogi State to remain calm as the Government they elected is capable, ready and equipped to fight this economic battle successfully.”
