A former security executive with Dangote Industries Limited, José Miguel Gaspar Mateus, has died in a motorcycle accident in Portugal after allegedly battling severe depression following his arrest and detention in Lagos over his decision to leave the company.

Mateus’s lawyer and close friend, Fidel Albert, disclosed the circumstances surrounding his death, alleging that the security expert suffered significant emotional and psychological distress after being accused of sabotage following his resignation in May 2026.

According to Albert, Mateus had accepted a better-paying job in Abuja after experiencing difficulties over the renewal of his employment contract with the conglomerate.

The lawyer alleged that the former employee’s resignation triggered a police investigation that disrupted his career, cost him his prospective job and left him struggling to provide for his family.

Mateus reportedly had a seriously ill wife and three children in Portugal, two of whom required round-the-clock care because of severe autism.

Albert said his friend had worked as Strategic Security Lead, overseeing security operations across Dangote’s business interests.

He explained that Mateus was initially employed under a three-year contract which expired in May 2025. However, the lawyer alleged that the company retained his services without formally renewing the agreement, leaving him without some of the benefits and performance bonuses provided under the original contract.

Despite repeated requests for a renewal, Albert claimed, the matter remained unresolved, prompting Mateus to seek alternative employment.

The lawyer said Mateus formally tendered his resignation in May 2026, informed the company of his next employer and participated in arrangements for a smooth handover. He added that the human resources department initially acknowledged the resignation.

However, the situation allegedly changed after Mateus was invited to meet with Aliko Dangote.

Albert claimed that Mateus visited the company’s office on May 5, 2026, but waited for several hours before being asked to return the following day.

According to the lawyer, Mateus returned on May 6 and was subsequently arrested by police officers and taken to the Zone 2 Zonal Command headquarters in Onikan, Lagos.

He said Mateus was later shown a petition accusing him of sabotage, questioning why his decision to resign and accept another job had resulted in police action.

Albert further alleged that Mateus was made to sign an indemnity undertaking in favour of the company before his release from detention.

The lawyer also claimed that police officers searched Mateus’s residence at Lakowe Golf Estate on May 7 but recovered no incriminating evidence.

The investigation allegedly had serious consequences for Mateus’s future. Albert said the prospective employer in Abuja withdrew its offer after learning about the police case, leaving him without the job he had planned to take up.

He added that Mateus was required to report to the police weekly while the investigation continued, a restriction that allegedly prevented him from returning to Portugal to attend to his family.

Albert said his friend later offered to withdraw his resignation and return to Dangote Industries, but the company declined the proposal.

The lawyer maintained that the police investigation ultimately failed to establish wrongdoing against Mateus.

According to him, a police report dated June 3, 2026, indicated that investigators had found no incriminating evidence and that a prima facie case of breach of trust or conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace had not been established.

Albert, however, argued that the outcome came too late to undo the damage he believed the investigation had caused.

He said Mateus eventually returned to Portugal after the investigation ended but continued to struggle with his mental health and sought psychiatric treatment.

The lawyer disclosed that he had been preparing a fundamental-rights enforcement suit against Dangote, Dangote Industries Limited, a senior company official and police authorities. The case was expected to be filed on August 31, 2026.

Following Mateus’s death, Albert said the proposed legal action would have to be amended to allow the deceased’s wife to become the claimant.

According to the lawyer, Mateus’s wife told him that her husband had taken his sports motorcycle out for a ride to distract himself from his difficulties when an oncoming vehicle struck him.

Albert said he could not determine what Mateus was thinking at the time of the crash but insisted that the events preceding his death deserved scrutiny.

He also alleged that letters requesting compensation for the bereaved family had gone unanswered and vowed to continue seeking justice on their behalf.

Beyond the specific allegations, Albert questioned whether employee welfare received adequate attention in the corporate governance and listing requirements of the Nigerian Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

His comments come as Dangote Petroleum Refinery pursues a planned public listing following an initial public offering involving 4.1 billion ordinary shares at ₦525 each.

He argued that companies should be assessed not only by their financial performance but also by their treatment of the employees whose work contributes to their success.

Efforts to obtain comments from Dangote Industries’ Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Tony Chiejina, and police spokesperson Anietie Iniedu were unsuccessful, according to the original report.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and no response from Dangote Industries or the police was available in the report.