Following viral videos of a fire incident inside the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Complex on June 26, the company is attempting to prevent certain classes of workers from using their personal phones within the facility.

An insider with a contractor in the refinery, whose identity is withheld for fear of victimisation, told FIJ that the company felt concerned that the filming and public release of sensitive occurrences happening within the facility meant no good to the image of the organisation.

After the June fire outbreak, the company had a meeting and resolved to regulate the use of personal phones by employees deployed to sensitive departments, according to the source.

READ ALSO: ‘It Was a Leakage’ — Insider Describes How Dangote Refinery Fire Began

“In the week that followed the fire disaster, the management met and decided they wanted to stop the use of phones in the refinery entirely,” said the source. “Workers began to feel alarmed, and we later heard that it was not going to have a general effect on the entire workforce.”

“Their ultimate aim is to stop the video recording of any sensitive event in the refinery. Now, they are planning to narrow it down to sensitive departments in the company and key personnel in those places.”

A video of the fire obtained from a source

Asked to state the category of people who might be affected, the source said administrative workers might be exempted because they are always in the office.

“What is being said is that field workers in sensitive roles would be affected. Administrative staff might not be affected because they have to communicate internally, escalate instructions and exchange information. I hope you understand,” he said.

“At my own workplace, the organisation has started profiling people who will be allowed to bring in their personal phones. We are now submitting our data for them to decide who will be permitted and who will not be permitted to bring their personal phones to the refinery.”

“The policy has not been implemented yet. Once it starts, security guards at the gate will begin scrutinising anybody posted to the affected places.”

On June 26, smoke from a thick fire engulfed a part of the oil refining company. Although the company said it was a “minor fire incident” at its “effluent treatment plant (ETP)”, FIJ learned that it was as a result of oil leakage at Pipe A13.

READ ALSO: One Died, 3 Had Broken Bones at Dangote Refinery. The Story of Workers Mistreated by Indian Employers

The inferno, which started in the early hours of the day, was only contained in the afternoon of that day.

A request for comments sent to Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Dangote Group, had not been responded to at press time.