BY AGENCY REPORTER
The management of Dangote Sugar Refinery has denied the rumored deaths of staff during a protest at its Numan, Adamawa plant by some youths of its Gyawana host community.
The Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Ravindra Singhvi said in a statement that there was neither a protest by its staff nor was anyone shot dead as insinuated in an online report.
The statement said, “the attention of the management of Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR) has been drawn to an online report by Sahara Reporters about the deaths of some protesting staff at our Sugar Refinery, in Numan, Adamawa state.
“We would like to state categorically that this report is an absolute falsehood, none of our staff protested and no life was lost.
“On several occasions, members of the Gyawana Youth Association have shut down the operations of the company while threatening staff on duty to stop work.”
Singhvi explained that the activities of the youths had been reported to the security operatives, who invited the leadership of the youths for dialogue, while a restraining order was also issued by the court on the matter, yet the youths issued a threat against the company on July 15, 2021, which compelled the management to call for protection by security operatives.
He said, “The activities of these hoodlums have been reported to security operatives following which the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police and State Director of Security Services invited the executives of the Association and asked them to desist from interfering and threatening the DSR Numan’s staff and operations.
“To protect our staff from external violence and ensure continuity, DSR Numan also obtained a Restraining Order from the Magistrate Court in Numan against the Gwayana Youth Association; an order they disobeyed, resulting in an arrest warrant issued by court against the Executives of the same Association.
“Another threat was issued by the Youth Association on Thursday, July 15, 2021, about plans to forcefully enter and destroy the assets of the company and attack any person found within the company premises.”
He explained that the security operatives were there to barricade the gates to protect lives and property, and that three people who sustained minor injuries were promptly taken to, treated and already discharged by the hospital.
Singhvi added that, “With this threat to life, family and company assets, management requested the assistance of law enforcement agencies in Numan to help protect life and assets of the company. The request was granted, and some officers were drafted in to secure the gates against the protesters.
“In a bid to prevent the protesting youths from forcefully shutting down the company’s operations, the law enforcement officers mounted a barricade at the entrance of the Company during which three people sustained minor injuries and were promptly taken to the hospital for treatment and discharged accordingly.
“We repeat that no single casualty was recorded during the protest as erroneously reported in the online publication. As a responsible corporate organisation, we believe in due process and rule of law and sanctity of human lives and that was why we went to court and also reported the disturbance to the security agencies.
“We also urge Sahara Reporters to always check thoroughly to have all the facts before rushing to the press as to avoid misleading the populace.”
