ABUJA – In a dramatic escalation of corporate-regulatory tensions, billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the head of Nigeria’s downstream oil regulator.
Through his lawyers led by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, Dangote accused the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, of corruption and living above his means. The petition specifically alleges that Ahmed paid over $7 million upfront for six years of tuition for his four children at schools in Switzerland.
Dangote argued that Ahmed’s lifetime earnings as a public servant could not justify such expenditure, implying the funds were embezzled. The petition calls for Ahmed’s arrest and prosecution for alleged abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and breach of the public service code of conduct—offences punishable by up to five years imprisonment under the ICPC Act.
This move deepens the ongoing rift between Dangote Industries and the NMDPRA, which has recently been a subject of parliamentary inquiry. Dangote vowed to provide evidence to support his claims if summoned by the anti-graft agency.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a petition and allegations made by a private entity against a public official. These are accusations that remain under investigation and have not been proven in a court of law. The due process of investigation will determine the veracity of the claims.
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