Dangote takes ex-NMDPRA boss to EFCC
ALIKO Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has formally lodged a corruption petition against Farouk Ahmed, the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja.
Dangote, through his legal representative Dr O.J. Onoja (SAN) urged the EFCC, led by Olanipekun Olukoyede, to investigate alleged financial improprieties and abuse of office by Ahmed and prosecute him if a prima facie case is established.
The petition comes after Dangote withdrew a prior complaint from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), a move reportedly aimed at fast-tracking the investigation through the EFCC.
The legal team also presented evidence claiming Ahmed lived far beyond his lawful means, spending millions of dollars on the education of his four children in elite institutions abroad.
Dangote’s complaint detailed that Ahmed’s children attended prestigious schools in Switzerland, with combined expenditures reportedly exceeding $7 million, raising concerns about the source of his wealth while serving as a public official.
Ahmed resigned from his position as NMDPRA chief amid mounting scrutiny. Despite Dangote’s withdrawal from ICPC, the commission has confirmed that its investigation will continue, citing statutory obligations to probe allegations of public corruption.
Dangote’s action underscores his push for accountability and transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory sector, with both EFCC and ICPC investigations now set to examine the full scope of alleged misconduct by the former NMDPRA boss.
