The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called on President Bola Tinubu's administration to urgently address the planned military eviction of oil and gas workers from the Oritsetimeyin Rig.
According to NUPENG, there are concerns over the use of force by the military, reportedly at the behest of Dutchford E&P and Selective Marine Services, to remove workers from the facility.
The union warns that failure to intervene could lead to significant labor unrest within the sector, potentially disrupting oil and gas operations nationwide. NUPENG's leadership is urging immediate government intervention to prevent escalation and protect the rights of its members.
According to Comrade Williams Akporeha, the president of NUPENG, the oil workers are their members, and they are facing eviction only because they are demanding the implementation of a previously agreed-upon contract.
Akporeha and the general secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, in a protest letter sent to LEADERSHIP Sunday reiterated their call on the federal government, the national security adviser, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) to address what it described as “an illegal and forceful eviction.”
The union explained that Dutchford E&P, Selective Marine Services, and their labor contractors – operators of the Oritsetimeyin Rig – are allegedly defying Nigerian labor laws by refusing to honor agreements made with the workers.
“These companies reportedly have a history of disregarding workers’ rights and running afoul of regulatory directives.