On Tuesday, October 11, the youth of Obajana, a district under Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State, stormed the Kabba junction to protest against the exploitation of the Obajana Cement Plant by the Dangote Group.

Speaking to FIJ on what has now become an everyday protest by the youth, Mohammed Yabagi, one of the participants, said Dangote Group had betrayed the agreement it had with the owners of Obajana Cement Factory since 1992.

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Yabagi accused Dangote of betraying the agreement he had with the owners of Obajana Cement factory since 1992.

Yabagi said aside from Dangote exploiting the Obajana Cement factory, Dangote had also taken over other sites of the state endowed with lime stones “when the state is supposed to have 10% of that company and have some say in the management cadres of the organisation”.

“The current government of the state is just realising that a lot of resources are lying there; Dangote is getting a lot from here,” he said.

“And the state internal revenue is saying Dangote does not pay local taxes to them. The local government is saying the same thing. A lot of people are also talking about the non-existent of Cooperate Social Responsibility.”

Yabagi also told FIJ that with the heavy police presence, pockets of protests were being sporadically organised by the aggrieved youth, including in the Ijumu and Amppa Local Government Areas of the state.

“Dangote has been the one taking care of some segments of policing in the entire Obajana,” he said.

“The people in the locals are currently in perpetual fear because they do no want the situation to escalate. They just want amicable resolution between Dangote and the government.”

He also mentioned that the current administration under Yahaya Bello took the matters up with Dangote, but he refused to appear before the Kogi State House of Assembly.

“The Kogi State lawmakers have investigated the matter; they said Dangote has a lot interests in the state apart from the Cement factory.

“For instance, some of the indigenous Kogi staff are talking about how Dangote is enslaving them, giving them the lowest positions in the company, which has resulting in the agitations of the youth.”

According to Yabagi, the first executive governor of the state, late Prince Abubakar Audu and other officials of the state government, who had eaten the “crumbs” from Dangote’s table, are the cause of the present existential cement crisis.

“Some of the succeeding governors who have shares in the cement company are the cause of our pain and poverty. This is why they remain silent on what Dangote is doing in the state. These are some of the ways Dangote has short-changed the state,” he said.

Some of the placards displayed during the protests read: “No more slavery in Kogi”, “We are tired of Dangote Group”, “On accountability: in Obajana cement company acquisition we stand”, “Say no to fraud; say no to theft”, “Return our cement factory”.

The situation has grown intense because “expatriates and people of northern extraction are the major employees, with few persons across the country, while the locals working as cleaners and loaders”.

‘NO JOBS, NO SCHOOLS, NO ROADS‘

Some of the residents who laid claims to the Obajana Cement lamented how the Dangote Group has ridden roughshod on them in not providing “jobs, schools and good roads” to the host community.

“Look at our roads. We have a lot of graduates roaming the street without jobs, whereas Dangote Cement is employing thousands from outside the state,” said Abubarkar Ahmed, another youth.

“You would be surprised that there is no hospital, no water, no single school, in this community.

“We are denied of basic amenities and we are saying enough of how Dangote has been exploiting us. If they are not ready to listen to us, let them return Obajana Cement to us.”

Ahmed also appealed to Yahaya Bello to help retrieve the company from or negotiate with Dangote so that the citizens can enjoy the benefits that belong to them.

Another protester, Bello Abdulrazak, said the people had been suffering since Obajana metamorphosed into what people now know as Dangote Cement.

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“There is no benefit from Dangote. Dangote trailers have been killing our youth, our mothers, and our families. There is no compensation. There is no scholarship from him,” Abdulrazak said.

“They are packing our mineral resources. There is nothing for us. We the youth of Obajana we are angry. We are pleading that the state government come and rescue us.

“We are not benefitting anything from Dangote, and as you can see, our roads are being spoilt by Dangote trucks. We need the state government help. Let them come to our aid.”

As of Thursday, all employees in the Dangote Group had vacated the company. FIJ called one of the Dangote Group’s officials, but the person was reluctant to answer questions about the protest.