The House of Representatives has stepped into the growing dispute between billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote and the leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, summoning both parties and directing them to halt public exchanges on the matter.
Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission against the Managing Director of the NMDPRA, Ahmed Farouk, accusing him of corruption and financial misconduct.
In the petition dated December 16, Dangote urged the anti graft agency to arrest, investigate and prosecute Farouk over allegations that he has been living far beyond his legitimate earnings as a public officer.
The petition, which was received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, specifically accused the NMDPRA chief of allegedly spending more than $7,000,000 on the education of his four children in Switzerland over a 6-year period. Dangote claimed the payments were made upfront without any clear evidence of lawful income to support such expenditure.
Dangote reportedly listed the names of the children, their respective schools in Switzerland and the amounts paid for each, asking the commission to verify the claims.
He further alleged that Farouk had used his position at the NMDPRA to divert public funds for personal benefit, a situation he claimed contributed to recent protests and public discontent surrounding the agency.
According to Dangote, the NMDPRA boss has spent his entire working life in Nigeria’s public sector and could not have legitimately earned an amount close to the sums allegedly spent on foreign education for his children.
The business mogul maintained that the funds were allegedly taken from public resources and used to finance private interests abroad.
Dangote argued that the allegations amounted to abuse of office, breach of the code of conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement, offences he said fall squarely within the powers of the ICPC to investigate and prosecute.
He stated that a successful prosecution under the law carries a possible prison sentence of five years without an option of fine.
Dangote expressed confidence that the ICPC and other relevant agencies would act decisively once a prima facie case is established, stressing that the courts have consistently punished offenders in similar cases.
He urged the commission to take swift action to protect public interest and preserve the integrity of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Dangote also pledged to provide documentary evidence to support his claims during the investigation.
The Kano born businessman first publicly raised the allegations during a media interaction, where he questioned how a regulator could afford to spend millions of dollars on foreign secondary education while many families in the official’s home state struggle to pay basic school fees.
He disclosed that his own children attended secondary schools within Nigeria, adding that public officers must be transparent about their sources of wealth.
Dangote later published details of the allegations in a national newspaper before submitting a formal petition to the ICPC.
He also accused the regulatory agency of undermining local refining efforts, particularly through the continued issuance of fuel import licences.
In response to the escalating controversy, the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Petroleum Resources for the downstream and midstream sectors have summoned Dangote and the NMDPRA leadership.
The lawmakers also directed both sides to suspend public commentary, warning that the dispute could heighten tension and destabilize the downstream petroleum sector.
According to committee member Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmakers want to understand the root causes of the allegations and counter allegations in order to find lasting solutions.
As of the time of filing this report, Ahmed Farouk and the NMDPRA had yet to issue any public response to the claims.
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