ICPC Rejects Petition Withdrawal, Continues Probe Of Dangote’s Allegations Against Ex-NMDPRA Chief, Ahmed

Dangote earlier withdrew the petition he filed with the ICPC against the former NMDPRA boss, but the anti-graft agency insists that its investigation will continue.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has declared that it will continue investigating a corruption petition filed by Africa’s richest person, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past Authority Chief Executive/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the withdrawal of the petition.

Dangote earlier withdrew the petition he filed with the ICPC against the former NMDPRA boss, but the anti-graft agency insists that its investigation will continue.

The ICPC disclosed this in a press statement titled “Investigation of Dangote’s Petition Against Engineer Farouk Ahmed of NMDPRA Continues,” confirming that it received a letter dated January 5, 2026, notifying it of the withdrawal.

According to the Commission, the letter, titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Petition Against Engineer Farouk Ahmed”, was submitted by Dr. O. J. Onoja, SAN & Associates, counsel to Dangote.

The legal team informed the ICPC that the petition dated December 16, 2025, against Ahmed had been withdrawn in its entirety.

The ICPC said Dangote’s lawyers explained that the decision was taken on the grounds that another law enforcement agency had taken over investigations into the allegations contained in the petition.

However, in a press release issued on Wednesday by its Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Communications, Okor Odey, the anti-corruption agency confirmed receipt of the withdrawal letter but stressed that the investigation would not be halted.

According to the Commission, once a petition alleging corruption is received and investigation has commenced, the process cannot be terminated at the discretion of the petitioner, particularly where issues of public interest and alleged abuse of office are involved.

The ICPC firmly rejected any suggestion that the withdrawal of the petition would stop its probe.

“The letter from O.J. Onoja, SAN, states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law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 Commission stated.

“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.”

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Dangote accused Farouk of corruption and alleged misappropriation of public funds, claims that sparked widespread outrage and intensified scrutiny of the petroleum sector regulator.

Central to the allegations was Dangote’s claim that Farouk spent millions of dollars on the education of his four children in Switzerland, allegedly without any verifiable lawful income to justify such expenditure.

Dangote reportedly put the figure at about $5 million, questioning how a public official could afford such costs amid worsening economic hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians.

Following the public accusations and the filing of the petition with the ICPC, Farouk resigned from office. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu later appointed a replacement to head the NMDPRA.

In late December 2025, the ICPC invited Dangote to appear before a special panel of investigators in Abuja over the petition he submitted against Farouk.

Before formally filing the petition, Dangote had, during a media briefing on challenges in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector on Sunday, December 14, 2025, publicly accused the former regulator of financial impropriety.

He contrasted the alleged spending on foreign education with the daily struggles of millions of Nigerians battling inflation, fuel price hikes and declining purchasing power.