Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has submitted a formal petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging corruption and financial misconduct against Ahmed Farouk, Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The petition, dated December 16 and filed through Dangote’s lawyer, James Onoja, SAN, calls for the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of Farouk over allegations that he lived far beyond his legitimate earnings as a public official. The petition was received by the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN.
According to Dangote, Farouk allegedly spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland over a six-year period—an amount he claims cannot be justified by Farouk’s known income from public service.
The petition reportedly includes details of the children’s schools, tuition fees, and related expenses to support the claims.
Dangote further accused Farouk of allegedly diverting public funds for personal use, an issue he said has contributed to recent public outrage and protests.
He argued that Farouk’s total earnings in the public sector fall significantly short of the funds allegedly expended on foreign education.
The petition references provisions of the ICPC Act, noting that offences such as abuse of office, embezzlement, and illicit enrichment carry penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Dangote urged the ICPC to thoroughly investigate the allegations in the interest of transparency and accountability, stressing that decisive action would help safeguard public trust and the integrity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He also pledged to provide supporting evidence to aid the commission’s investigation.
