The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over allegations of corruption and financial impropriety against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Ahmed Farouk.
The petition, submitted on December 16 through Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), called on the anti-graft agency to arrest, investigate and prosecute the NMDPRA boss for allegedly living beyond his lawful earnings as a public officer.
According to the petition received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), Dangote accused Ahmed of allegedly spending more than seven million dollars on the education of his four children in Switzerland over a six-year period, without evidence of legitimate income to justify such expenditure.
Dangote reportedly provided details of the children, the schools they attended in Switzerland and the amounts paid, urging the commission to verify the claims during its investigation.
He further alleged that the NMDPRA chief abused his office by diverting public funds through the agency for personal benefit and private interests, actions he claimed had sparked public outrage and protests in recent times.
The businessman argued that Ahmed had spent his entire working life in Nigeria’s public sector and that his cumulative earnings could not reasonably amount to the funds allegedly expended on his children’s education abroad.
He claimed the money was diverted from public resources.
In the petition, Dangote urged the ICPC to act decisively, citing provisions of the ICPC Act which empower the commission to investigate and prosecute cases of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and embezzlement.
He stated that successful prosecution could attract a five-year jail term without an option of fine.
Dangote also pledged to present evidence to support his allegations and said the matter was already in the public domain, stressing that decisive action would help protect the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The allegations were first made public during a media interaction at the Dangote Refinery in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, where Dangote questioned the source of the NMDPRA chief’s wealth.
He later published details of the claims in a national newspaper before formally submitting the petition.
He said Nigerians deserved to know how a public officer could afford such expenses while many parents, particularly in the NMDPRA chief’s home state of Sokoto, struggle to pay modest school fees for their children.
Dangote also accused the agency of frustrating local refining efforts through the continued issuance of import licences.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has stepped into the dispute, summoning both Dangote and Ahmed.
The joint committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Midstream) have also directed both parties to refrain from further public statements.
A member of the committee, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the intervention was aimed at easing tensions capable of destabilising the downstream petroleum sector and identifying the underlying issues behind the dispute.
The disagreement between Dangote and the NMDPRA leadership dates back to the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery last year.
In July, Ahmed had questioned the quality of products from local refineries, including Dangote’s, and accused the industrialist of attempting to monopolise Nigeria’s energy supply. Dangote rejected the claims.
The matter previously attracted legislative scrutiny, with lawmakers calling for the suspension of the NMDPRA chief.
In August 2024, the authority maintained that the Dangote Refinery was still in its pre-commissioning stage and had not received a full operational licence.
