Dangote Group Accused of Abandoning Student Injured by Company Truck for 11 Months — VeryDarkMan

Nigerian social commentator and activist, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has raised serious allegations against the Dangote Group, claiming the company abandoned a 22-year-old female student who has been confined to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Auchi, Edo State, for nearly a year after being hit by one of its trucks.

VDM shared a video of the victim on his Instagram story on Monday, showing her condition while on admission. According to him, the young woman, whose identity has not been revealed, has spent 11 months in the hospital, with medical bills now exceeding ₦5 million.

The activist revealed that he personally joined a protest in Auchi against the continuous movement of Dangote’s trucks in the area, demanding justice for victims and accountability from the company.

“When we visited the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Auchi, Edo State, we found a 22-year-old student who was on her way to complete her project when she was crushed by an unlicensed Dangote truck driver. She has been bedridden for 11 months, with bills over ₦5 million, and has been completely abandoned by Dangote Group. We cannot allow this to continue,” he said.

VDM further emphasized that if the company failed to cater for victims, residents would not allow any Dangote trucks into Auchi.

“The world must hear this. Unless Dangote Group takes full responsibility for all victims of its unlicensed drivers, no trucks will be allowed into Auchi. @dangotegroup @aliko_dangotegcon, you are the richest man in Africa, and you control many security agencies, but we are only asking for justice and responsibility,” he added.

As of the time of this report, Dangote Group has not issued any official statement in response to VDM’s claims.

This development comes shortly after Phyna Otabor, the Season 7 winner of Big Brother Naija, called out the company over a similar case in Auchi. Phyna alleged that her sister, Ruth Otabor, was also a victim of a Dangote truck accident.

Following public outrage, Dangote Group issued a statement three days ago, pledging to settle all of Ruth Otabor’s medical expenses.

The rising cases of road accidents linked to Dangote trucks are being reported at a time when the conglomerate is preparing to deploy over 4,000 brand-new compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks for fuel distribution across Nigeria.

Although the scheme was scheduled to commence on 15th August 2025, the rollout has been delayed. According to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), issues related to truck numbering have stalled the official takeoff of Dangote Refinery’s nationwide diesel and petrol distribution initiative.

Reports confirm that the refinery has already received several shipments of the new trucks, but the official deployment remains pending.