Ikirun Youth to Stage Peaceful Protest Against Prism Steel Mills

The youth of Ikirun, under the umbrella of the National Ikirun Progressive Union (NIPU), have announced plans to embark on a peaceful protest against Prism Steel Mills over what they described as years of neglect, exploitation, and disregard for their host community.

In a letter signed by the union’s Abuja Chapter Secretary, Abdelhafeez Ishaq-Maigida, and addressed to the company’s Managing Director, the group said the protest will commence on 29th September 2025 at the company’s premises and will continue until their grievances are addressed in the presence of top Ikirun stakeholders. The letter, which also copied relevant authorities and security agencies, accused the company of endangering lives and farmlands through unchecked air pollution, while lamenting that despite operating in Ikirun for over 15 years, Prism Steel Mills has failed to execute any verifiable corporate social responsibility (CSR) project for the host community.

The group further raised concerns about rising insecurity linked to the company’s environment, recalling with pain the 2016 armed robbery incident that forced banks in Ikirun to shut down, in which one of the company’s workers was allegedly implicated. On employment and welfare, the youth alleged that no indigene of Ikirun is represented at management level, while locals are restricted to casual labour under unsafe conditions. Many workers, they added, have suffered injuries due to inadequate protective equipment but were abandoned without medical care, insurance, or compensation.

They also noted that by the Nigerian Constitution and global best practices, host communities are entitled to benefits and dependency support from companies operating in their locality, yet Prism Steel Mills has consistently failed to honour this responsibility. Stressing that their patience should not be mistaken for weakness, the youth declared that while Ikirun has been peaceful and accommodating since the company’s inception, they are prepared to sustain the protest until justice, fairness, and accountability are achieved.