From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has declared that the withdrawal of a petition filed by billionaire industrialist, Aliko Dangote, will not halt its ongoing investigation into the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engineer Farouk Ahmed.
In a petition dated December 16, 2025, Dangote urged the anti-graft agency to investigate claims that the former NMDPRA chief allegedly misused his office for personal gain, in violation of extant laws and ethical standards governing public officers.
According to the petition, Engr. Ahmed, who resigned as head of the petroleum regulatory authority on December 17, 2025, was accused of actions inconsistent with the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and the provisions of the ICPC Act.
The allegations include claims of unlawful spending of public funds and corrupt enrichment while in office.
Dangote called on the ICPC to examine the source of funds allegedly used for high-value personal expenditures, arguing that such spending could not be reasonably reconciled with earnings from a public service career.
Specifically, he accused Ahmed of paying over $7 million in upfront school fees to Swiss secondary schools for his four children over a six-year period—a cost he argued raised serious questions about integrity, conflicts of interest, and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement issued Wednesday night by the ICPC’s Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Communications, Mr. Okor Odey, the commission confirmed receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2026, titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed.” The letter was submitted by O.J. Onoja, SAN & Associates, legal counsel to Dangote.
The letter informed the Commission that the petitioner had withdrawn the petition in its entirety, noting that another law enforcement agency—reportedly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)—had taken over the matter.
However, the ICPC stressed that the withdrawal does not affect its statutory powers. It stated categorically that investigations had already commenced before the withdrawal and would continue in line with Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of the ICPC Act.
The agency has already initiated formal procedures to reach out to the schools in Switzerland mentioned in the petition to verify the tuition payments.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing,” the statement read.
The agency emphasized that issues of public interest cannot be terminated solely at the discretion of a petitioner once the investigative process has been activated.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, insisting that all allegations will be thoroughly examined for the benefit of Nigeria
