The Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, through his legal representative, has filed a formal corruption petition against former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The move followed the withdrawal of the same petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, a strategic decision aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.
In the petition signed by Lead Counsel, Dr O J Onoja, SAN, Dangote urged the EFCC to investigate allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Mr Ahmed and prosecute him if found culpable.
“We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned, along with sister agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and corruption-related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders. See Lawan v F R N, 2024, 12 NWLR, Pt 1953, 501, and Shema v F R N, 2018, 9 NWLR, Pt 1624, 337,” the petition stated.
Onoja further urged the commission, under the leadership of Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr Farouk Ahmed and to prosecute him accordingly if found wanting.
The petition also noted that the commission’s firm resolve in handling the matter with dispatch would serve as a deterrent to other public officers with corrupt tendencies.
The development reinforces Dangote’s stated commitment to transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
It will be recalled that on December 14, 2025, Dangote raised concerns about Mr Ahmed’s financial dealings, alleging that the former regulator was living far beyond his legitimate means.
According to Dangote, four of Mr Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, incurring costs running into several millions of dollars, raising questions about possible conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum industry.
Also read:ICPC insists Dangote must defend petition in person
Dangote listed the schools attended by Mr Ahmed’s children as Montreux School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and La Garenne International School, noting that each child spent six years in the institutions.
He estimated annual tuition, travel and upkeep per child at about 200,000 dollars, amounting to roughly five million dollars for their secondary education.
Dangote further alleged that an additional two million dollars was spent on tertiary education for the four children, including 210,000 dollars for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA programme.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as 10,000 naira in school fees,” Dangote stated.
The petition called for a comprehensive investigation to ensure accountability and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s regulatory institutions.
NEWSEXPRESS
