Ex-NMDPRA MD’s Probe Will Continue Despite Dangote’s Withdrawal Of Petition, Insists ICPC

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) said the probe of a former managing director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, will go ahead despite the withdrawal of the petition by Aliko Dangote.
While acknowledging receipt of a letter, dated January 5, 2026, titled, ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed,’ submitted by Dangote’s lawyer, O.J. Onoja (SAN), it, however, said in line with the provisions of Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling law, it will continue to investigate the matter, in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and fight against corruption.
ICPC, in a statement by its spokesperson, J. Okor Odey, said: “The letter from Onoja states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition in its entirety, and that another law enforcement agency has taken over.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, the investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing.”
Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, had on December 16, last year, submitted a petition against Ahmed to the ICPC, accusing him of corruption and financial impropriety and demanding his arrest, investigation and prosecution for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
The petition was received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), in which Dangote accused Ahmed of spending, without evidence of lawful means, an income amounting to over $7million for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront.
He listed the children and their Swiss schools, as well as the amount paid for each of them to establish his allegations and verification by the anti-graft agency, alleging that Ahmed was using the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for self-gain and pursuit of private interest to the detriment of the Nigerian people.
Dangote claimed that Ahmed had throughout his lifetime as an adult, in the public sector in Nigeria, the totality of his earnings over the years was nothing close to $7million.
He alleged that the money was allegedly diverted from the public coffers to pay for the education of his teenage children abroad.
Hiowever, Ahmed denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious.”
Recall that the dispute dates back to July 2024, when Ahmed said local refineries, including Dangote Refinery, produced inferior products compared to those imported into the country.
On December 15, 2025, President Bola Tinubu replaced Ahmed and the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).