The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The petition demands the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of the NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, for alleged corruption and abuse of office.
The petition, was submitted through Dangote’s counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), which formalizes accusations first made public at a press briefing two days ago. Dangote accuses Ahmed of corruption and unlawful spending of public funds. The petition was officially acknowledged by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN).
Dangote specifically alleges that Engr. Farouk Ahmed spent over $7 million, on the education of his four children in various private schools in Switzerland over a six-year period, with the funds allegedly paid upfront, an increase from the initial $5 million earlier reported.
The petition claims that Ahmed used the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for private gain, in contravention of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Dangote’s lawyers made reference to Section 19 of the ICPC Act, which deals with the offense of a public officer using his position to confer a corrupt or unfair advantage. Conviction under this section carries a sentence of five years’ imprisonment without a fine option.
The billionaire argues that even though Ahmed spent his entire professional career in the Nigerian public sector, he could not have legitimately earned the $7 million allegedly spent on his children’s overseas education. Dangote vows to provide documentary evidence to support his claims and urges the ICPC to act quickly in order to protect public confidence and the integrity of the Tinubu administration.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives’ Joint Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Midstream) have already summoned both Dangote and Farouk Ahmed, urging them to halt public attacks while the legislature intervenes to prevent the dispute from destabilizing the petroleum sector.
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