- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian billionaire businessman and Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding for investiagtion and prosecution of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, over alleged corruption and financial impropriety.
This is coming under the heels Dangote’s claim of the NMDPRA boss’ payment of $5 million as school fees for his four children studying in Switzerland.
Dangote had on Monday made the disclosure during a press briefing.
The Africa’s richest man would further back up his claim with the release of evidence containing names and schools of the Farouk’s children.
This would be followed by a petition submitted to the ICPC on Tuesday.
Dangote had, in the petition received by the office of the Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), demanded the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Ahmed for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
He accused the NMDPRA boss of spending without evidence of lawful means of income amounting to over $7 million for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront.
The businessman alleged that Farouk was using the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for self gains and pursuit of private interest to the detriment of the Nigerian people which orchestrated uproar and protest by different groups recently.
Dangote maintained that Farouk had worked in the Nigerian public sector throughout his adult years which implied that the totality of his earnings over the years is expected to be nothing close to $7 million.
He alleged that NMDPRA’s boss had diverted from the public coffers to pay for the education of his teenage children abroad.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of Code of Conduct for public officers, Corrupt enrichment, embezzlement are gross Act of corrupt practices for which your Commission (ICPC) is statutorily empowered under section 19, of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote said.
“Upon a successful prosecution of such a person, under section 19, of the ICPC Act, the person is liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.
“We make bold to state that the ICPC is strategically positioned along the sister agencies to, prosecute financial crimes and other corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the Courts do not hesitate to punish offenders.
“In view of the above, we call on the Commission under your leadership to investigate the complain of abuse of office and corruption against Engr Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly, prosecute him if found wanting.
“We have no reservation that being a matter that is in the public domain, the Commission will not close its eyes to it but act decisively to ensure that justice is done and the good image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is protected.” the petition partly read.
Dangote vowed to be on ground to proffer evidence in proof of his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office, against Engineer Farouk Ahmed.