Crackdown of union members: Oil workers threaten nationwide strike

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, have issued a strike notice over what they described as a sustained crackdown on their members by the management of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Effurun, Delta State.

In a strongly worded joint statement by Afolabi Olawale, General Secretary of NUPENG, and Lumumba Okugbawa, General Secretary of PENGASSAN, the unions accused the Vice Chancellor of FUPRE of taking anti-union actions that are “archaic, repressive and provocative.”

The unions said they were reacting to a memo allegedly issued by the Vice Chancellor on Monday, July 21, 2025, with reference number VC/STAF&STDS/25/VOL1, titled “Security Alert and Caution to All Staff and Students”, which they said falsely portrayed union members as a security threat and called for armed security deployment against them.

“We consider the content and tone of that memo not only disgraceful but dangerous,” the statement said. “Calling out security personnel against defenseless staff members who are simply exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of association is an unacceptable abuse of power.”

The unions warned that unless the harassment and victimization of their members stop immediately, they would not hesitate to escalate the matter into full industrial action, both in Delta State and across the country.

“Let it be known that if this anti-union posture, threat, and victimization are not immediately halted, the Union and the Association will not hesitate to escalate resistance beyond Delta State, even nationwide if necessary. Enough is enough!” the statement declared.

NUPENG and PENGASSAN also called on top government functionaries and security agencies to intervene and rein in the Vice Chancellor, warning that his actions were endangering industrial peace in the institution and the state at large.

“We are calling on His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, and all relevant security agencies to urgently intervene. The Vice Chancellor is recklessly pushing FUPRE and Delta State into an avoidable industrial relations crisis,” they said.

The unions added that their members nationwide have been placed on red alert for further instructions should the university management fail to reverse its actions.

“We hereby put all our members—NUPENG and PENGASSAN nationwide—on red alert for any further directives. Our solidarity remains constant, for the Union makes us strong,” the statement concluded.

The development has sparked growing concern in the oil and gas industry, especially given the strategic importance of FUPRE in Nigeria’s petroleum education and research ecosystem. Stakeholders are now watching closely as tensions build over what could become a major labor flashpoint in the weeks ahead.

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