Group Accuses Sowore of Collecting $250,000 Bribe To Blackmail Dangote Refinery

A Non Governmental Organisation, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN), has accused self-appointed activist and owner of Sahara Reporters of receiving $250,000 (about N370m) to carry out a series of campaign of blackmail against the Dangote Refinery.

The group said a publication yesterday, by Sahara Reporters, alleging that Dangote Refinery imported dirty fuel from the United Kingdom was part of the orchestrated blackmail against the company.

Sowore’s Sahara Reporters had claimed that Dangote Refinery is importing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) with sulphur content far above Nigeria’s approved environmental standard.

However, the SRLN said, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, by its Coordinator, Dr Chima Ubeku, that Sowore was only carrying out a series of campaign of blackmail against Dangote Refinery, for which he was paid $250,000.

The group alleged that Sowore already got the $150,000 in cash from an agent of a notable petrol importer on Tuesday, this week.

He had to deliver promptly to get his balance of $100,000.

SRLN asked how Dangote Refinery that is said to be producing enough petrol for local consumption and exporting petroleum products will be importing the same petrol it is producing.

It also said United Kingdom is not a country where substandard products like petrol can be produced, not to talk of exporting to other countries.

The group, which accused Sowore of resulting to staying in Nigeria to carry out his business of blackmail because of the stoppage of grants to NGOs by President Donald Trump of the United States, said he (Sowore) had tried unsuccessfully to extort money from Dangote Refinery.