A Nigerian lawyer, Fidel Albert, has accused Dangote Industries Limited of allegedly ruining the life and career of his Portuguese friend, Miguel Jose Gaspar Mateus, whose death has triggered a fresh controversy over the treatment he allegedly received from the company.
Albert’s explosive account, published on Facebook, has drawn angry reactions against Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, while Mateus’s widow, Betty Gonclaves, has publicly backed the lawyer’s allegations, insisting that her husband deserved justice.
“I’m Miguel’s wife. My husband is no longer here to defend himself, but I will be his voice. I will not let him go without justice,” Gonclaves wrote.
She alleged that her husband might still be alive had he continued with a new job he secured in Abuja instead of returning to Portugal in a depressed state over the family’s financial difficulties.
The widow also claimed that she personally experienced what she described as Dangote’s treatment of her husband when they travelled to Nigeria in 2022 following what she called false promises.
According to her, after spending just two months in Nigeria, she begged Mateus to return to Portugal.
“My husband was a very good man. And Dangote Industries destroyed his life and reputation,” she alleged.
In his lengthy Facebook post, Albert questioned why Mateus had to die after what he described as a distressing chain of events involving his former employer.
The lawyer alleged that Mateus, who was recruited to oversee security operations across the Dangote Group, performed his duties satisfactorily throughout his three-year contract.
Albert claimed to have personally seen the former security chief’s performance appraisals and evidence of performance-related bonuses paid to him during his employment.
However, trouble allegedly began when the contract expired in 2025.
According to the lawyer, Mateus continued working after the contract ended but received only his basic salary, without the additional benefits and allowances contained in his previous agreement.
Albert alleged that Mateus repeatedly sought a new contract but was given assurances that the matter would be addressed.
After months without a new agreement, the Portuguese security expert reportedly decided to resign in May 2026 after securing what Albert described as a better job in Abuja.
The lawyer claimed that Mateus informed his employers of his decision and began making arrangements to hand over his responsibilities.
But events allegedly took a dramatic turn when he was summoned to meet Dangote at his Lagos office.
Albert alleged that Mateus was made to wait for hours before armed policemen arrived, arrested him and took him to the Force Criminal Investigation Department’s Zone 2 headquarters in Lagos.
According to the lawyer, the arrest followed a petition by a senior Dangote Industries executive accusing Mateus of sabotage.
Albert, however, argued that the allegation was not substantiated and questioned whether resigning from a job could justify the treatment his friend allegedly received.
He further claimed that Mateus was pressured into signing an indemnity undertaking in favour of the company before his release.
The lawyer alleged that the police subsequently searched Mateus’s residence at Lakowe Golf Estate on May 7, 2026, but found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Albert also claimed that news of the arrest and allegations against Mateus prompted his prospective employers in Abuja to withdraw their job offer before he could resume.
The development, according to the lawyer, left the Portuguese national without the employment he had secured and unable to provide for his wife and three children, two of whom he said had severe autism and required intensive care.
Albert alleged that Mateus repeatedly appealed to his former employer to allow him to return to work but was told that the company had moved on.
The lawyer said a subsequent police report cleared Mateus of the allegations, claiming that the complainants failed to substantiate their accusations.
By then, however, Albert alleged that his friend had suffered severe depression and returned to Portugal after being cleared to travel.
The lawyer said he remained in contact with Mateus and had prepared legal papers to seek redress over the alleged treatment, with court action scheduled for August 31, 2026.
But tragedy struck before the planned filing.
Albert disclosed that he spoke with Mateus on the morning of Saturday, August 29, to discuss the legal proceedings. Later that day, he received a message informing him that his friend had died.
According to the lawyer’s account, Mateus had been struggling with depression and attending psychiatric sessions before taking his sports motorcycle out for a ride. He was reportedly struck by oncoming traffic and died.
Albert linked his friend’s deteriorating condition to the alleged ordeal surrounding his former employment, although the account does not independently establish that the dispute caused his death.
The lawyer said Mateus left behind his wife and three children, whom he described as particularly vulnerable because of their care needs.
He accused Dangote of ignoring his letters seeking compensation for the bereaved family and vowed to continue pursuing justice.
“I WILL NOT LET IT GO AWAY!” Albert declared in his post, promising to continue the fight for Mateus’s children.
The lawyer also questioned whether the welfare and treatment of employees should form part of the considerations for companies seeking to list on the Nigerian Exchange, arguing that corporate success should not come at the expense of workers’ welfare.
The allegations have placed Dangote Industries under public scrutiny, with the widow’s emotional intervention adding a personal dimension to the lawyer’s claims.
However, the allegations remain those of Albert and Mateus’s widow. The account does not include a response from Dangote Industries Limited or Dangote personally to the specific accusations.
The controversy has also raised questions about the circumstances surrounding Mateus’s arrest, the alleged withdrawal of his Abuja job offer and the reported police findings.
For the bereaved family, Gonclaves says the fight is now about ensuring that her late husband’s voice is heard.
With Mateus no longer alive to tell his side of the story, his widow has vowed to speak for him and pursue what she believes is justice for her husband and their children.
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