Lagos probes Katsina workers recruitment by Dangote Refinery

The Lagos State Government is investigating the employment of 89 labourers from Katsina State at Dangote Refinery, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

The development comes after a recent viral video showed the young men arriving in Lagos and converging on the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state, sparking security concerns among locals, and on social media.

The Lagos State Police Command last Friday debunked speculations surrounding the viral video.

The police allayed fears of insecurity, assuring the residents that there was no cause for alarm.

The police confirmed that the individuals were legitimate workers recruited from Katsina State for employment at the Dangote Refinery.

However, the state chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Funmi Sessi, alleged labour laws violation, criticising the purported employment of unskilled labourers from the North and not from the community hosting Dangote Refinery. The labour leader also threatened a protest.

While speaking in a chat with our correspondent on Sunday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said an investigation was ongoing.

He maintained that security agencies were aware of the situation and should be allowed to conclude the probe.

“We are investigating the matter.

I’m sure security agencies are also not unaware of it. It will be nice to let them do their investigation,” Omostoso said.

In a statement posted on X on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said upon receipt of information on the viral video on May 14, 2025, officers from the command were immediately deployed to the location to ascertain the facts.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the young men in question, 89 in number, had arrived from Katsina State and were recruited to work as labourers at the Dangote Refinery in Lekki,” he said.

He noted that the contractor responsible for the men’s recruitment and the refinery’s Chief Security Officer both confirmed the arrangement. Hundeyin added that the men had been cleared to reside and work within the facility.

“The contractor working with the refinery appeared before the police and confirmed that he had personally sourced and brought the labourers from Katsina for legitimate employment purposes,” the statement added.

The individuals were thoroughly searched, and no incriminating items were found in their possession.

“Furthermore, each person properly identified themselves and presented their National Identification Numbers, which were duly verified,” Hundeyin said.