A coalition of civil society organisations has welcomed the ruling of the National Industrial Court in Abuja stopping the planned strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against the Dangote Refinery.

Operating under the banner of the Coalition for the Defence of Economic Rights (CODER), the groups described the interim injunction as a victory for the rule of law and for the stability of Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting on Monday night, CODER president Comrade Babajide Oresanya urged all sides to respect the court’s decision and allow the judicial process to run its course.

He warned that an attempt to cut crude oil and gas supply to the Dangote Refinery would have had severe consequences for ordinary Nigerians. “The judiciary has once again risen to the occasion by safeguarding both the rule of law and the national interest,” Oresanya said.

The coalition stressed that while workers’ rights to organise remain guaranteed, such rights must be exercised responsibly and within legal boundaries.

It argued that the refinery was not just a private venture but a strategic national asset central to energy security, job creation, and wider economic stability.

CODER called on PENGASSAN to embrace dialogue rather than confrontation, commending the federal government for its swift intervention through meetings with the union and regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

“The court has spoken. Any attempt to disregard this order would be contemptuous and risks escalating tensions. What Nigeria needs now is stability, not industrial conflict. Respect for the judiciary is not optional,” Oresanya emphasised.

The coalition further noted that allegations made against the refinery risked distracting from the broader goal of achieving energy sufficiency. It maintained that independent assessments had shown the facility to be a net creator of jobs, directly and indirectly, urging PENGASSAN to support its success in reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.

CODER concluded by urging Nigerians to remain calm and patient while the substantive case is prepared for hearing on 13 October.

Earlier on Monday, Justice Emmanuel Sublim of the National Industrial Court restrained PENGASSAN from proceeding with the strike after an ex-parte motion filed by Dangote Refinery’s counsel, George Ibrahim. The judge ruled that the strike could inflict irreparable damage on the economy and ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the substantive hearing.