Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), seeking the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, over alleged corruption.
The petition, dated December 16 and submitted through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, was received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN.
In the petition, Dangote accused Farouk of living far beyond his legitimate means as a public servant, alleging that the NMDPRA boss spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland without any lawful source of income to justify the expenditure.
According to the petition, the funds were allegedly paid upfront to different Swiss schools for periods spanning up to six years.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and has enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of public funds running into millions of dollars,” the petition states.
Dangote named the four children, the schools they attend and the amounts allegedly paid for their education, urging the ICPC to verify the claims.
He further alleged that Farouk used the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain, actions he claims have triggered public outrage and protests.
Dangote argued that Farouk, having spent his entire working life in the Nigerian public sector, could not have legitimately accumulated funds close to the alleged $7 million used to finance his children’s education abroad.
“It is without doubt that the above facts amount to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement, which your Commission is statutorily empowered to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote says, citing Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
He noted that the offence attracts a five-year prison sentence without the option of a fine upon conviction.
The businessman expressed confidence in the ICPC and other anti-graft agencies to prosecute the matter once a prima facie case is established, urging decisive action to protect public trust and the image of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Dangote also pledged to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations of abuse of office, corrupt enrichment and impunity against the NMDPRA chief.
The petition follows comments made by Dangote during a press briefing in Lagos on Sunday, where he alleges regulatory failures and corruption in the downstream petroleum sector, warning that unresolved allegations could undermine investor confidence.
Similar allegations were raised against Farouk in June 2025, when protesters marched to the offices of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC, demanding his resignation.
The NMDPRA has since denied all allegations, describing them as an orchestrated smear campaign based on false claims against its leadership.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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