Tanker Drivers Disown NUPENG Strike Threat, Demand Arrest of Union Leaders

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch has distanced itself from the nationwide strike threatened by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), describing the move as reckless, self-serving, and dangerous to national stability.

In a statement on Sunday, PTD leaders accused NUPENG of mismanagement and double standards, urging drivers across Nigeria’s four zones to ignore the strike notice slated to begin Monday, September 8, 2025.

The PTD warned that such industrial action would cripple economic activities, inflict hardship on citizens, and contradict the union’s mandate to safeguard both workers and public interests. The drivers further called on the Federal Government and security agencies to arrest NUPENG executives to forestall chaos in the oil and gas sector.

“This is a clarion call to all Petroleum Tanker Drivers across Nigeria to please ignore the strike notice issued by NUPENG leadership. The purported notice is insensitive, callous, and unacceptable. A responsible union is expected to explore negotiation and dialogue, not pursue selfish agendas that could ruin socio-economic stability,” the statement read.

The group also accused NUPENG of acting as “economic saboteurs” in its disputes with Dangote Refinery and MRS, stressing that industry leaders such as Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata are working to rejuvenate Nigeria’s downstream sector under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Citing corruption, victimisation, and lawsuits within NUPENG’s leadership, PTD maintained that membership of the union remains voluntary. It also backed Dangote Refinery’s plan to deploy 4,000 CNG-powered trucks, calling the move pro-people.

Signed by PTD zonal leaders in Kaduna, Warri, Port Harcourt, and Lagos, the statement insisted that “no union is bigger than the constitution,” warning against allowing NUPENG to destabilise the sector.