Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that its investigation into former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, will continue, even after Aliko Dangote withdrew a petition against him.
The commission said it received a “notice of withdrawal” from Dangote’s legal counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, but emphasized that the probe would proceed under its statutory mandate.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2026, titled ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed,’ submitted to the Commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” ICPC spokesperson J. Okor Odey said in a statement.
“The letter states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law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, investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing,” the statement added.
Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, had initially submitted the petition in December 2025, alleging corruption and financial impropriety against Farouk. The petition claimed the former NMDPRA MD spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Swiss schools over six years, despite earnings in the public sector that were reportedly far below this amount.
Dangote’s petition, received by ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, SAN, accused Farouk of allegedly using the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain. The allegations had sparked public uproar and protests from various groups.
Ahmed, however, has consistently denied the claims, describing them as “wild and spurious.”
The dispute between Dangote and Farouk reportedly dates back to July 2024, when the former NMDPRA chief criticized local refineries, including the Dangote refinery, for producing inferior petroleum products compared to imported alternatives.
Despite the withdrawal of Dangote’s petition, the ICPC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law in the ongoing investigation.
