A Portuguese security expert who worked for billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote has died in a motorcycle accident in Portugal, months after his arrest and detention by police over allegations of sabotage following his resignation from Dangote Industries Limited.
The deceased, José Miguel Gaspar Mateus, reportedly suffered severe depression after the incident, according to his lawyer and close friend, Fidel Albert, who has called for accountability over the circumstances surrounding his treatment.
In an account of the events, Albert alleged that Mateus was arrested in May 2026 after resigning from his position as Strategic Security Lead at Dangote Industries and accepting a more lucrative job in Abuja.
The lawyer accused the company and its associates of instigating the police action, claiming that Mateus was detained, compelled to sign an indemnity undertaking in favour of the company and subjected to a search of his residence over allegations of sabotage.
Albert maintained that the police investigation failed to establish any wrongdoing against his friend.
Contract Dispute Preceded Resignation
According to Albert, Mateus was initially employed under a three-year contract that expired in May 2025. Although he continued working for the conglomerate, the lawyer alleged that his contract was never formally renewed.
He claimed that Mateus subsequently received only his basic salary, without the bonuses and other benefits stipulated in his original agreement.
Albert said his friend repeatedly sought a formal renewal but received assurances that the matter would be addressed.
The lawyer described Mateus as a dedicated security professional who had performed satisfactorily and whose family depended heavily on his earnings.
He said Mateus had a seriously ill wife and three children in Portugal, two of whom were on the extreme end of the autism spectrum and required round-the-clock care.
Faced with these responsibilities, Albert said Mateus eventually accepted a better-paying job in Abuja and formally submitted his resignation in May 2026.
According to the lawyer, the company’s human resources department acknowledged the resignation and wished him well before the situation took a different turn.
Arrested After Office Meeting
Albert alleged that Mateus was invited to a meeting with Dangote on May 5, 2026, but waited for several hours before being told to return the following day.
He said Mateus returned on May 6 as instructed but was again kept waiting before police officers arrived and arrested him.
The lawyer claimed that Mateus was taken to the Zone 2 Zonal Command headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Onikan, Lagos, where he was subsequently shown a petition accusing him of sabotage.
Albert questioned the basis of the allegations, arguing that resigning from employment and accepting another job did not, in themselves, constitute criminal wrongdoing.
He further alleged that Mateus was compelled to sign an indemnity undertaking making him potentially responsible for security incidents at the company after his departure.
The lawyer said police officers also searched Mateus’s residence at Lakowe Golf Estate, Lagos, on May 7 but found no incriminating evidence.
New Job Offer Withdrawn
Albert alleged that the police investigation had serious consequences for Mateus’s career and family.
According to him, Mateus’s prospective employer in Abuja withdrew its job offer after learning about the investigation, leaving him without the employment opportunity he had accepted.
The lawyer further claimed that Mateus was required to report to the police weekly while the investigation continued, restricting his movements and preventing him from returning to Portugal to attend to his family.
Albert said Mateus later offered to withdraw his resignation and return to his former position, but the company declined.
The development, he alleged, left his friend facing financial uncertainty while struggling to meet his family’s medical and caregiving needs.
Police Reportedly Found No Evidence
Albert said a police report dated June 3, 2026, indicated that investigators had found no incriminating evidence against Mateus.
According to his account, the police had invited representatives of the complainants to substantiate the allegations, but they failed to appear.
He added that the report found no prima facie case of breach of trust or conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace against Mateus.
Although Albert described the outcome as a vindication of his friend, he argued that it came too late to reverse the damage allegedly caused by the investigation.
He claimed that Mateus had suffered severe emotional distress and depression by the time the police findings were issued.
Following the conclusion of the investigation, Mateus was eventually allowed to return to Portugal, where, according to Albert, he sought psychiatric treatment as his mental health deteriorated.
Dies in Motorcycle Accident
Albert said Mateus’s death came as a shock because they had spoken on the morning he received the news.
According to the lawyer, Mateus’s wife told him that her husband had taken his sports motorcycle out for a ride in an attempt to distract himself from his difficulties when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle.
Albert acknowledged that he could not know exactly what Mateus was thinking or experiencing at the time of the accident.
However, he maintained that the circumstances surrounding his friend’s final months warranted further scrutiny and accountability.
Mateus left behind his wife and three children, including two children who reportedly required round-the-clock care.
Albert said he had written letters seeking compensation for the family but had yet to receive a response. He added that he remained determined to pursue legal action over the alleged violations of his friend’s rights.
Lawyer Plans Legal Action Against Company, Police
Albert disclosed that he had been preparing a fundamental-rights enforcement case before the High Court of Lagos State against Dangote, Dangote Industries Limited, a senior company official and police authorities.
The proposed suit was initially intended to be filed on Mateus’s behalf on August 31, 2026, but his death means the documents will have to be amended to make his wife the claimant.
The lawyer also raised broader questions about employee welfare and corporate accountability, arguing that companies should be assessed not only on their financial performance but also on how they treat their workers.
He questioned whether employee welfare received sufficient consideration under the listing requirements of the Nigerian Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly as Dangote Petroleum Refinery pursues its planned public listing.
The refinery’s initial public offering, according to the report, involves 4.1 billion ordinary shares at ₦525 each, with subscription scheduled to close on October 27, 2026, and listing expected in December.
Albert argued that employees play a central role in corporate success and should not be overlooked in discussions about governance and business performance.
Meanwhile, attempts to obtain comments from Dangote Industries’ Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Tony Chiejina, and the police spokesperson, Anietie Iniedu, were unsuccessful, according to the report.
The allegations against Dangote and the company have not been independently established in the account, and no response from the parties was available at the time of publication.