The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has declared that its investigation into Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), will proceed despite the withdrawal of the corruption petition filed by billionaire industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The anti-corruption agency confirmed that it received a formal letter dated January 5, 2026, from Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN & Associates, acting on behalf of Dangote, withdrawing the petition initially submitted on December 16, 2025. The letter stated that the petition was being withdrawn in its entirety, noting that “another law enforcement agency has taken over” the matter.
However, the ICPC said the withdrawal would not halt its actions, stressing its statutory independence and obligation to investigate alleged corruption. In a statement, the Commission explained that investigations had already commenced before the withdrawal.
“The letter from O.J. Onoja, SAN, states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law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 statement read.
“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.”
The petition arose from a high-profile dispute in late 2025 between Dangote and petroleum sector regulators, following repeated clashes over fuel importation policies, pricing and market control.
Dangote had accused Ahmed of corrupt enrichment, alleging that the former regulator spent more than $5 million on his children’s education at elite schools in Switzerland—expenses he claimed were inconsistent with the lawful earnings of a public officer.
The allegations triggered widespread public attention and were among the factors that led to Ahmed’s resignation in December 2025, alongside the exit of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) chief. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently nominated new leadership for the NMDPRA.
In his original petition, Dangote had urged the ICPC to arrest, investigate and prosecute Ahmed for alleged abuse of office, corruption and living beyond his means. Despite the withdrawal of that petition, the ICPC has now made it clear that the probe will continue.
