Dangote Withdraws ICPC Petition Against Ex-NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed
Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has formally withdrawn a petition he filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Despite the withdrawal, the ICPC has made it clear that its probe into the allegations against Ahmed will continue, describing the matter as one of public concern that cannot be discontinued at the request of a petitioner.
Sources at the anti-corruption agency disclosed that investigative steps are already underway, including official engagements with educational institutions in Switzerland to confirm whether Ahmed’s children are or were enrolled in the schools referenced in the petition.
In the complaint, Dangote had accused the former NMDPRA boss of allegedly spending more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland. The petition claimed the fees were paid in advance for up to six years and questioned whether the expenditure could be justified by any verifiable legitimate income.
A statement by the Spokesperson and Head, Media and Public Communications of ICPC, Mr. John Okor Odey, last night confirmed the withdrawal notice.
The statement said: “The ICPC is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2025, 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.
“The letter states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law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 ICPC will therefore continue to investigate this matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria.”
