Anti-graft agency confirms receipt of petition as Reps summon parties over escalating dispute
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that it will investigate a petition submitted by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, over allegations of corruption and financial impropriety.
Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, filed the petition on Tuesday through his legal team, accusing the NMDPRA chief of abusing his office and engaging in corrupt practices.
Hours after the petition was submitted, the ICPC acknowledged its receipt and assured the public that the matter would be thoroughly examined.
In a statement posted on the Commission’s official social media platforms, ICPC spokesperson John Odey confirmed the development.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirms that it received a formal petition today, Tuesday, December 16, 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote, through his lawyer,” the statement said.
“The petition is against the Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, and the Commission wishes to assure that the allegations contained therein will be duly investigated.”
In the petition addressed to the ICPC, Dangote, through his counsel Ogwu Onoja (SAN), alleged that the NMDPRA boss expended over $7 million without evidence of legitimate income on the education of his four children in Switzerland over a six-year period, with payments reportedly made upfront.
The petition further accused Ahmed of allegedly using his position to embezzle and divert public funds for personal benefit, actions which Dangote claimed were detrimental to the Nigerian public interest.
According to the petition, the alleged conduct amounts to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment, and embezzlement, offences for which the ICPC is empowered to investigate and prosecute under Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
“It is without doubt that the above facts disclose acts of corruption for which your Commission is statutorily empowered to investigate and prosecute,” the petition stated.
It added that, upon conviction, such offences attract a five-year jail term without the option of a fine, urging the Commission to act decisively in the public interest.
The petitioner further expressed confidence in the ICPC’s capacity, working alongside sister agencies, to establish a prima facie case and ensure accountability, stressing that decisive action would help protect the image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has stepped into the dispute, summoning both Dangote and the NMDPRA leadership and urging all parties to refrain from public commentary while legislative intervention is ongoing.
Lawmakers warned that the public feud could undermine recent gains recorded in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the NMDPRA nor its Managing Director, Ahmed Farouk, has issued an official response to the allegations.
About the Author
