Dangote Group distances self from Kogi Assembly fire outbreak

By Motolani Oseni

Dangote Group distanced itself from the fire outbreak in the Kogi State House of Assembly early hours of Monday, October 10, 2022.

The Group, in a statement signed by the Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina said: “Our attention has been drawn to a circulating Press Statement issued by the Kogi State Government, wherein the Dangote Group was accused of allegedly sponsoring arsonists to set the Kogi State House of Assembly on fire in the early hours on Monday.”

Chiejina stated that the Kogi State government was titled, ‘Obajana: Desperation sets in as imported hoodlums burn down Kogi Assembly, and was signed by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.

According to him, the Kogi State statement pointedly accused the Dangote Group of burning the Complex “in an attempt to possibly destroy evidence relating to the ownership tussle between the Kogi State Government and the Dangote Group over the Obajana Cement Company.”

“As a socially responsible corporate entity, we totally refute this allegation and condemn this unprofessional and irresponsible attempt to smear our image before local and international investors and thus erode our brand value.

“Dangote Group would never stoop so low as to sponsor thugs to destroy any property, belonging to either government or any individual. This runs contrary to our business ethos and everything we stand for as a leading manufacturer with teeming customers and consumers across Nigeria and Africa”, he explained.

He, however, noted that the company’s lawyers have been mandated to react appropriately to the damaging allegation from the Kogi State Government within the full extent of the law.

“We urge our stakeholders and the public to disregard such irresponsible and insane statements as we ask all our stakeholders, namely shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, and the entire community of Obajana and Kogi State at large to remain calm while we follow the legitimate and lawful process to resolve this matter with the State Government”, Dangote Group stated.