Chairman of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote, through his lawyers, has submitted a formal petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, over alleged corruption.
The development was confirmed in a statement released on Friday by the Dangote Group media team.
The petition follows Dangote’s recent withdrawal of a similar complaint filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in which Ahmed was accused of spending about $5 million on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland. Despite the withdrawal, the ICPC had said it would continue its investigation.
According to the statement, the decision to approach the EFCC was “a strategic move aimed at fast-tracking the prosecution process.”
In the petition, signed by lead counsel, Dr O.J. Onoja, Dangote called on the anti-graft agency to investigate allegations of abuse of office and illicit enrichment levelled against Ahmed and to prosecute him if a prima facie case is established.
Dangote also pledged to provide documentary evidence to support the claims of financial misconduct and abuse of power.
The petition noted that the EFCC is well positioned to handle corruption-related offences, citing judicial precedents that affirm the courts’ readiness to punish offenders once sufficient evidence is presented.
Onoja specifically urged the commission, under its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to “thoroughly investigate the allegations of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to prosecute him accordingly if found culpable.”
