The Federal Government Should Declare Dangote Refinery As A Critical National Security Asset 

By: Shehu Bashir Esq

In Nigeria today, except for those who don’t understand the dire situation that we are or are not bothered by the potential consequences of the situation, taking an indifferent approach to the “state of affairs” of Dangote Refinery will mean national security sabotage, a bleak future and self destruct syndrome.

Infact, for those in government, all the tiers, from the local government area where the facility is seated, to the state that will have immediate benefits on it’s economic value and the federal government which is in charge of the affairs of national oil assets management and security of such assets, it will mean criminal dereliction of duty to ignore the survival of that facility. Under any circumstance, nothing should ever make anyone ignore the survival of this refinery facility unless there is a ground conspiracy to finally “kill” Nigeria economically. When a country dies economically, it also dies socially and politically.

Naturally, the whole nation should shiver in fear by the expression of the builder of the refinery wherein he raised the alarm that certain economic hegemonic interests are against the smooth operations of the refinery facility. From the moment Alhaji Aliko Dangote GCON made that exposition, I expected the federal government to declare special status holding on that facility and give it the utmost protection.

Let’s be very honest with our stance on this nation, Dangote Petrol Chemicals (Refinery) should henceforth be viewed as being technically “owned” by the federal government. Therefore, it should be declared as a “critical national asset”, tied to national security survival and should be given the highest level of state security cover, the maximum ever given to any other facility.

After all , the federal government through the NNPCL has a certain percentage actual ownership on the refinery as an investor. So, there is a valid legal ground to protect that edifice.

Let me be very emphatic, It is safe to say that the recovery of Nigeria economy undoubtedly stands on the survival of that refinery. There is nothing Nigeria needs now at this critical time than a functioning refinery system. It will solve a lot of problems in both price control and adequate supply of petroleum products, which in turn will help in taming the daily astronomical economic inflation.

It is embarrassing to even imagine that right on our own soil, an indigenous refinery company would be begging for supply of crude oil to operate the facility and bring the much needed relief to Nigerians. For the records, Nigeria is an oil producing country. We have the crude in abundance. With this, we don’t only have the natural grace to be self sufficient on what natural has given us freely, we should also use same as trading asset to the world to better our life as a nation. Why then do we suffer on what we should be enjoying?

Whatever it is that may be the policy which may be hindering the steady supply of crude oil to Dangote refinery facility should be broken immediately. The policy now should be tailored in favour of the smooth operation of the facility.

If the hindrance is created by any existing law, such should be amended immediately and the facility should be given first “line charge” attention in crude oil supply as a matter of national security agenda. That facility must be protected by all means.

What is most important for the federal government to do is to ensure that there is no compromise on accountability in the whole value chain management. This will not mean in anyway an attempt by the federal government to unduly interfere with the business rights of the owners of the refinery and its management.

On the contrary, while Dangote Company is doing its legitimate business, federal government is solving the national economic problems. It will be a mutually beneficial partnership.

The return of this favour from Dangote refinery is to ensure that the Nigeria economy is the primary market that the products will be supplied to. The excess can then be exported which in itself will help in generating foreign exchange and increase FX inflow back to the country

Anyhow you look at it, the fact remains that the refinery is not just going to fetch the owner whatever profit, it is also going to save the nation from this cloudy economic meltdown. Infact, as of this moment, it is about the singular recovery mechanism that we are all hoping on to revive the supply chain of petroleum products. Which reasonable nation will want such a critical asset to fail for whatever reason? Of course none.

We all need to stand up to hold this edifice as ours and give it all the national protection for it to survive and save the nation from the precarious situation that we are. We should protect the refinery against both domestic and international threats, those who might be conspiring to sabotage its operations. The approach will equally be applied to other national or private refineries under rehabilitation or construction when they return to full function.

Unless we see it and think this way, we may be unwittingly pushing the country off the cliff. I am not talking politics here, I am discussing economy and the future of our survival hopes.

If anything, a special security command be established to monitor and protect the asset. The security command should include operations, intelligence, legal and psychological check on all those that will be working there. There should be IOs “planted” in the workforce to proactively detect any intending saboteur ms that may come from within. Thus is very critical in order to prevent any orchestrated attack on the refinery. The same should be done within ten kilometer radius around the refinery.

Nothing should be left behind in this all important security plans. There are more important and critical grounds to protect the refinery by all means possible than to do otherwise.

May God give all the concerned stakeholders the courage to be patriotic enough to do the right thing, Amin.

God is here.