ICPC insists on probe of ex-NMDPRA boss despite Dangote’s petition withdrawal
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said it will continue its investigation into allegations against the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, despite the withdrawal of a petition filed by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its spokesperson, J. Okor Odey, the commission confirmed receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2026, from Dangote’s lawyer, O.J. Onoja, SAN, notifying it of the withdrawal of the petition earlier submitted on December 16, 2025. The letter also indicated that another law enforcement agency had taken over the matter.
However, the ICPC maintained that the withdrawal would not halt its investigation, stressing that the probe had already commenced in line with its statutory mandate. The commission said it could not be directed by a petitioner on how to carry out its duties once an investigation had begun.
Sources familiar with the matter told The ICIR that Dangote had requested the ICPC to discontinue its investigation on the grounds that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was already handling the case. The ICPC was said to have declined the request, insisting it would proceed with the probe in the interest of the Nigerian state.
The commission was also reported to have asked Dangote’s legal team to formally endorse the ongoing investigation, a request that had not been complied with as of the time of filing this report.
As part of its inquiry, the ICPC has reportedly contacted a school in Switzerland where the children of the former NMDPRA chief are allegedly enrolled, to verify claims concerning their tuition fees, which Dangote had alleged were inconsistent with their father’s lawful earnings.
Reaffirming its position, the ICPC said the investigation remained ongoing in line with sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, noting that the withdrawal of the petition would not affect the process.
Dangote’s petition had accused Ahmed of abuse of office, corruption, financial impropriety and violations of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, including allegations that more than $7 million in public funds was spent on the education of his four children in Switzerland. The petition also alleged diversion of public funds.
Following the allegations, Ahmed resigned as head of the NMDPRA, with the Presidency confirming his resignation on December 17, 2025, and naming Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as his replacement. Although the Presidency did not directly link his resignation to the allegations, the timing raised public suspicion.
Ahmed, who was appointed in September 2021 under the Petroleum Industry Act, has denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious,” and said he would refrain from public comment while investigations by relevant agencies continue.
