The ongoing internal dispute at Crown Ceramics Nigeria Limited, located in Igbesa, Ogun State, has taken a new turn following allegations involving the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun. The claims, made by a faction within the company, suggest police involvement in the conflict. However, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Chen Dongfeng, has strongly denied these assertions.
Mr. Chen described the allegations as “fallacious, falsehood, blatant lies, empty and a figment of imagination” by Mr. Zhang Kefeng, a company manager at the center of the dispute. He urged shareholders, staff, and the public to disregard the claims, emphasizing that the police did not seal the factory or take any action favoring any party.
According to Mr. Zhang and other managers including Mrs. Zhang Linshuang, Mr. Liu Zhengyu, and Mrs. Liao Yuzhen, the IGP allegedly used police officers to intimidate and harass directors and shareholders in favor of Mr. Chen and another shareholder, Mr. Kong Jun. Mr. Zhang reportedly petitioned President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter.
Mr. Chen, however, absolved the IGP of any involvement, stating, “The Nigerian police did not seal the factory of Crown Ceramics Nigeria Limited as alleged.” He blamed Mr. Zhang and his associates for orchestrating the crisis within the company.
Tracing the origins of the dispute, Mr. Chen recounted that after the company’s establishment in 2014, the shareholders—seven Chinese nationals as of today—agreed that no shareholder would establish a separate company in Nigeria to produce ceramic tiles similar to Crown Ceramics’ products to avoid conflicts of interest.
“The current crisis started when two of our shareholders, Mr. Zhang Kefeng and his sister, Mrs. Zhang Linshuang, established Nigeria Royal Castle Ceramics Company Limited in 2022, producing the same ceramic tiles, violating the shareholders’ agreement,” Mr. Chen explained.
He further alleged that Mr. Zhang misused his position as a manager—once deputizing for the MD during overseas trips—to divert Crown Ceramics’ imported and local raw materials to his new company without permission. “He also appropriated business ideas, distributors, and trained staff for his company’s benefit,” Mr. Chen added. He accused Mrs. Zhang Linshuang of misappropriating company funds as well.
Mr. Chen described attempts by Mr. Zhang and some shareholders to remove the current management, saying they even issued memos claiming to have replaced the MD and chairman without proper authorization.
In April 2025, he said, “The conspirators invaded the company with armed security personnel and thugs to take over, but the company invited police to restore order.”
He also revealed that petitions have been exchanged between the disputing parties and the police’s Special Investigation Unit, which advised reconciliation and formal submission of demands.
Mr. Chen recalled a recent incident where Mrs. Liao Yuzhen, accompanied by more than 20 Chinese individuals and security personnel, tried to enter the company premises but was denied access due to security concerns. He emphasized, “During that incident, nobody fought anybody.”
Responding to media reports accusing the IGP of siding with the current management and sealing the factory, Mr. Chen said, “The allegation is purely false. The company remains fully operational, workers are paid, and business continues as usual.”
He also raised concerns about Mr. Zhang Kefeng and his son allegedly using the company’s name to defraud Chinese nationals and warned that the ongoing dispute should be resolved through the courts, stating, “The petition to President Tinubu for intervention is unnecessary as the matter is before the courts.
“My position as the MD is that the matter should be settled by the courts.”
