NEWS
Dangote Petitions ICPC Over Alleged $7 Million Education Spending, Accuses NMDPRA Boss of Corruption, Abuse of Office and Living Beyond Legitimate Means
The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption and financial impropriety involving the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.
It is reported that the petition, dated December 16, was submitted to the ICPC with a demand for the arrest, thorough investigation, and prosecution of the NMDPRA boss over allegations of living far beyond his lawful earnings as a public servant. The petition was officially received by the office of the Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN).
In the detailed petition, Dangote accused Farouk Ahmed of expending funds without any verifiable lawful source of income, amounting to over $7 million, allegedly paid upfront for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland over a six-year period.
According to the petition, such an amount is grossly disproportionate to the known earnings of a career public servant.
Dangote reportedly went further to strengthen his claims by naming the four children involved, the specific schools they attended in Switzerland, and the individual sums paid for each child. This, he stated, was to aid investigation and enable proper verification of the allegations by the anti-graft agency.
The petition further alleged that Farouk Ahmed used the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal enrichment and the pursuit of private interests, actions which, according to Dangote, have been to the detriment of the Nigerian people. He linked these alleged activities to the recent public uproar and protests by various groups against the authority’s leadership.
Dangote also maintained that Farouk Ahmed had spent his entire adult working life in Nigeria’s public sector and that the cumulative earnings from such service could not reasonably amount to $7 million. He alleged that the funds used to finance the overseas education of Farouk’s teenage children were diverted from public coffers.
In his petition, Dangote stated:
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of Code of Conduct for public officers, Corrupt enrichment, embezzlement are gross Act of corrupt practices for which your Commission (ICPC) is statutorily empowered under section 19, of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote said.
“Upon a successful prosecution of such a person, under section 19, of the ICPC Act, the person is liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.
“We make bold to state that the ICPC is strategically positioned along the sister agencies to, prosecute financial crimes and other corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the Courts do not hesitate to punish offenders.
“In view of the above, we call on the Commission under your leadership to investigate the complain of abuse of office and corruption against Engr Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly, prosecute him if found wanting.
“We have no reservation that being a matter that is in the public domain, the Commission will not close its eyes to it but act decisively to ensure that justice is done and the good image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is protected.”
The petition has since heightened public attention, with expectations that the ICPC will act in line with its statutory mandate to investigate the allegations and take appropriate legal steps in the interest of accountability, transparency, and public trust in governance.