Dangote Cement further said the control rooms were forcefully shut down by Kogi vigilantes and equipment whose monetary value have not been computed was vandalised.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Dangote Cement Plc has said that the aftermath of the invasion of its Obajana plant by Kogi vigilantes popularly referred to as government vigilantes or government hunters are still being felt.
According to the company on Saturday, destruction of its assets wounded staff from gunshots, and violation of the fundamental human rights of staff and commuters are some of the fallouts from the invasion.
Over 500 government vigilantes invaded the Dangote Cement Plant located at Obajana on Wednesday at the behest of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and forcefully shut down its operations.
The company noted that cement trucks were also burnt, and many others were vandalised, as the invaded hijacked Dangote buses and vans.
Market and business activities have been brought to a standstill since the attack was launched.
“No fewer than 27 Dangote staff are currently in bad conditions after they were shot at by the invaders,” a statement from the company said.
Dangote Cement further said the control rooms were forcefully shut down and equipment whose monetary value have not been computed was vandalised. Communication cords were also severed to bring production to an abrupt halt.
The invaders also reportedly blocked roads, distorted vehicular movement, and restricted the movement of people all around Obajana.
“Since the criminal attack, our vehicles carrying diesel have been attacked along Anyigba road,” the company said.
Victims of the invasion are currently admitted to the emergency section of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja.
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Tijani Mukhtari, 45, who was reportedly shot severally in the lower abdomen and in other parts has been slated for emergency surgery, the company said.
In the same vein, Aminu Sarki, 43, a fleet officer at the transport section of the Dangote Cement Plant, said to have been shot in the leg, condemned the act as illegal and criminal in nature.
Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Sarki said he was inside his office when a stray bullet pierced through and hit him on the leg.
He said: “Because of loud gunshots by the governor’s boys, I was just hiding inside our office at the PTI when the bullets hit me and got lodged inside my legs.”
Mr. Sarki called on the Federal Government to intervene quickly and help stop the excesses by the Kogi State Governor and his thugs.
Narrating his tribulation, 21-year-old Isyaku Adamu, one of the victims also said to have been shot, called on both the company and the government to resolve the conflict in the interest of the masses who will be most affected.
Peter Dare, a businessman at the Obajana main market, described the situation as worrisome. He said thousands of people will be impoverished if the company is not opened this week.
Madam Esther, a tomato seller, wondered why the government was insensitive to the plight of the masses, describing the government as the worst in the history of Kogi State.
“The governor will not give us the job. Now that we are doing petty businesses, they are closing down the company that is helping us,” she retorted.
