Dangote drops ICPC petition against ex-NMDPRA boss, probe to continue

 

Billionaire industrialist and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has withdrawn his petition against Ahmed Farouk, former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), even as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) insists that investigations into the allegations will continue.

Dangote had, in December 2025, petitioned the anti-graft agency through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, accusing Farouk of corruption and financial impropriety while in office.

The petition alleged that Farouk lived beyond his legitimate means, claiming that the former regulator spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland within six years, without verifiable lawful income to justify such expenditure.

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, ICPC spokesperson Okor Odey disclosed that the commission had received a formal notice from Dangote’s legal representative withdrawing the petition in its entirety.

Odey said the letter also indicated that another law enforcement agency had taken over the matter.

Despite the withdrawal, the ICPC maintained that its investigation would proceed in line with its statutory mandate.

“The letter from O.J. Onoja, SAN, states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety,” the statement said.

“The commission wishes to state categorically that, in accordance with Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of the ICPC Act, investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people have already commenced and are ongoing.”

The anti-corruption agency stressed that the probe would continue in the interest of transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption.

Farouk had resigned from office less than 24 hours after the petition was submitted, following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.