By Deborah Nnamdi
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has invited Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to appear before a panel of investigators on Monday in Abuja over a petition he submitted against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk.
A source close to the commission confirmed on Sunday that the ICPC had constituted a panel of crack investigators to handle the probe, following the petition written by Dangote alleging corruption and abuse of office by Farouk.
According to the source, the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), directed the panel to focus specifically on the allegations raised in Dangote’s petition. The oil magnate is expected to appear in person or be represented by his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), to present documentary and other evidence when the investigation formally begins.
In the petition, Dangote accused Farouk of corruption and misappropriation of public funds, alleging that the former regulator spent millions of dollars on the education of his four children in expensive and exclusive schools in Switzerland without any evidence of lawful income. He also alleged that Farouk undermined domestic refining by colluding with international traders and oil importers through the continued issuance of petroleum import licences.
The ICPC reportedly requested Dangote to submit all available evidence to support his claims, assuring that the investigation would be conducted fairly and transparently. Although Farouk has since resigned his position, the commission maintained that his resignation does not affect the ongoing probe.
The petition further alleges that Farouk spent more than seven million dollars on his children’s education abroad, an amount said to be inconsistent with his known earnings as a public servant. Dangote is demanding the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Farouk for allegedly living above his means while in office.
Confirming the development, the ICPC spokesperson, John Okor Odey, said the commission received a formal petition on December 16 from Dangote, submitted through his lawyer, against the former chief executive of the NMDPRA.
The invitation comes amid broader changes in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory landscape. Earlier this week, President Bola Tinubu forwarded to the Senate the names of two nominees to head the country’s key petroleum regulatory agencies, following the resignation of Farouk and the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.
Meanwhile, legal luminary and Senior Partner at Olisa Agbakoba Legal, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has raised concerns over the standoff between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the NMDPRA, warning that the dispute goes beyond commercial interests and touches on Nigeria’s governance of its hydrocarbon resources.
Farouk and Komolafe were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the twin regulators created under the Petroleum Industry Act. In separate letters to the Senate, President Tinubu requested the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC and Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, urging lawmakers to fast-track consideration of the nominations.
