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Demands Protection of Dangote
- Safiu Kehinde
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) group has called for the probe of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (NMDPRA) Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, over alleged corruption.
SERAP also demanded the protection of Nigeria’s billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, who exposed how Farouk allegedly paid $5 million as school fees of his four children in a secondary school in Switzerland.
NPO Reported that Dangote had made the disclosure during a Press briefing on Monday.
The Africa’s richest man had demanded that the NMDPRA be held accountable and questioned over where he got such amount of money.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on its official X handle, SERAP charged the Code of Conduct Bureau, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), to investigate the NMDPRA boss and those suspected to be responsible for the corrupt act within the authority.
The organisation demanded that the anti-corruption agencies invite Ahmed for questioning over the claim as well as the NMDPRA’s alleged issuance of licences for the importation of petroleum products from Russia.
“We urge the Code of Conduct Bureau, EFCC, and ICPC to urgently investigate the allegations of corruption in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), identify those suspected to be responsible and bring them to justice and recover any proceeds of corruption.
“The anticorruption agencies should jointly and urgently invite the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed to explain the allegations that NMDPRA arbitrarily issues licences for the importation of petroleum products from Russia and that he spent $5 million on the secondary school education of four of his children in Switzerland and for interrogation and questioning over the allegations.
“SERAP’s request follows the allegations by the President/Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote that the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed spent $5 million on the secondary school education of four of his children in Switzerland, and that NMDPRA arbitrarily issues licences for the importation of petroleum products from Russia.” The statement partly read.
Taking these steps, according to SERAP, would improve transparency and accountability in the management of the country’s natural wealth and resources.
“It would also be entirely consistent with national anti-corruption legislation and both the spirit and the letter of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.
“Section 15(5) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) provides to the effect that ‘The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.’
“Similarly, the UN Convention against Corruption requires the authorities to ensure effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions and penalties for corruption.” The organisation wrote.
