The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has raised concerns about what it described as a wave of false reports spreading across social media platforms.
The union said the stories, which accuse its members of aiding fuel smuggling, collecting fees on every litre of petroleum, and being part of a cabal that crippled government-owned refineries, are untrue and aimed at damaging its reputation.
In a notice to its members, the union explained that the claims are part of a campaign designed to mislead the public and create distrust in its activities. According to NUPENG, those behind the stories are individuals and groups who remain unhappy about the union’s past victories in defending workers’ rights and are seeking revenge through misinformation.
The union noted that while several associations operate within petroleum depots — including the Truck Owners Association, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Major Marketers Association — it is often NUPENG’s members, particularly Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), who are visible to the public. This visibility, it said, has made the union an easy target whenever disputes arise in the oil and gas sector.
NUPENG pointed out that other unions in the country, such as those representing lecturers, medical workers, and non-academic staff, often embark on strikes without attracting the level of backlash faced by tanker drivers. It added that the negative perception is worsened by employers who prefer to avoid negotiations and instead spread damaging claims against the union.
The union further explained that the dues collected from members are used for several services, including safety training in collaboration with traffic enforcement agencies, health insurance for tanker drivers, highway security against criminals, and general union administration. It added that other associations within the depots also collect dues from their members, often through PTD-NUPENG representatives, which makes the process more efficient but has created room for misrepresentation.
NUPENG maintained that the allegations about depot collections and smuggling are deliberate attempts to weaken its influence and distract members from their duties. It insisted that the stories circulating online are not supported by facts and should not be taken as truth.