Dangote Files Petition Against NMDPRA Managing Director Over Corruption Allegations
In a groundbreaking development, business magnate Aliko Dangote has submitted a formal petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accusing Ahmed Farouk, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), of corruption and financial impropriety. The petition, lodged through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), calls for immediate investigation and legal action against Farouk.
The petition particularly charges Farouk with living beyond his legitimate means as a public servant. Dangote’s legal team demanded the arrest and prosecution of Farouk, highlighting discrepancies between his documented income and his reported expenditures. According to the petition, Farouk allegedly incurred expenses exceeding $7 million on the upfront payment of education fees for his four children over six years at schools in Switzerland.
Dangote’s petition further contends that Ahmed Farouk’s entire career has been in the Nigerian public sector and that his cumulative earnings could not possibly amount to the lavish expenses reportedly incurred. This assertion forms the crux of the allegations that the NMDPRA chief has been unlawfully enriching himself at the expense of taxpayers and the Nigerian public.
The petition accuses Farouk of using his position at the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal enrichment and private gain. It also suggests that his alleged malpractice has sparked unrest, with various civil groups recently protesting against perceived corruption within the agency. These protests have underscored widespread public discontent over accountability and transparency in regulatory bodies.
Dangote has pledged to personally present evidence to support his claims of corrupt enrichment and abuse of office by Ahmed Farouk. His move is seen as a significant step towards holding public officials accountable and reinforcing efforts to tackle corruption in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The ICPC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the petition, but the development is expected to trigger a thorough probe into the activities of the NMDPRA and its Managing Director. Stakeholders in the petroleum industry and anti-corruption advocates are closely monitoring the situation.
