Dangote Group, denies setting ablaze Kogi house of assembly

Dangote Group has disassociated itself from the fire outbreak at the Kogi State House of Assembly in the early hours of Monday.

The company refuted claims that it was responsible for the development in a statement signed by Mr Anthony Chiejina, Group Head Branding and Communications, Dangote Industries Ltd., on Monday in Lagos.

Chiejina said the company, as a socially responsible corporate entity, totally refuted this allegation and condemned “the unprofessional and irresponsible attempt to smear its image before local and international investors and thus erode its brand value.”

He said the the company would never stoop so low as to sponsor thugs to destroy any property, belonging to either government or any individual.

According to him, such action runs contrary to the group’s business ethos and everything the company stands for as a leading manufacturer with teeming customers and consumers across Nigeria and Africa.

He said lawyers representing Dangote Group had been mandated to react appropriately to the damaging allegation from the Kogi State government within the full extent of the law.

“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, Oct. 10.

“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.

“We urge our stakeholders and the public to disregard such irresponsible and insane statements.

“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,” he said. 

The Kogi State House of Assembly complex, located at Crusher Area, Lokoja, had reportedly been razed by fire in the early hours of Monday.

The fire destroyed the roof of the Chamber, inflicting considerable damage to the main floor.

The House Speaker, Mathew Kolawole, and the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara, were among the first to arrive at the assembly complex.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined at the time of filing this report.

When asked if it was related to the recent incident between the Assembly and the Dangote group, he said it was up to the security agencies to determine.

“We should leave security people to do their work and give us a report going forward,” the speaker said.