The Dangote Group has denied link with the fire outbreak that occured at the Kogi state House of Assembly complex.
Bizpoint reports that there was pandemonium at the Dangote Cement Plant on Wednesday when the Kogi state government, using vigilante, allegedly stormed the factory, causing chaos that resulted to injuries and suspension of production.
However, in the wake of the crisis, the state assembly was gutted by fire on Monday morning, triggering suspicion by the Kogi state government that Dangote had a hand in the inferno.
But, in a swift reaction, the company, in a statement by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, on Monday denied the reports that it orchestrated the fire outbreak.
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“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 of Monday, October 10, 2022.
“The statement titled, ‘Obajana: Desperation sets in as imported hoodlums burn down Kogi Assembly’, which was signed by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo pointedly accused our company 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,” the statement reads in parts.
“Our 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,” the statement further said.
