Faroukgate: Dangote Files Corruption Petition Against Former NMDPRA Boss At EFCC

Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, through his legal representatives, has filed a formal petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, alleging abuse of office and corrupt enrichment.
The petition, submitted at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, follows the withdrawal of an earlier complaint lodged with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The move, according to sources familiar with the matter, is a strategic decision aimed at expediting investigations and possible prosecution.
Signed by Lead Counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN, the petition urges the EFCC to thoroughly investigate the allegations and prosecute Mr. Ahmed should a prima facie case be established.
“We make bold to state that the Commission is strategically positioned, along with sister agencies, to prosecute financial crimes and corruption-related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders,” the petition stated, citing Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1624) 337.
Dr. Onoja further called on the EFCC, under the leadership of its Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, to act decisively:
“…to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”
The petition emphasised that prompt and decisive action by the Commission would not only serve the interests of justice but also deter other public officials with “corrupt proneness and tendencies.”
According to the petition, Dangote first raised concerns about Mr. Ahmed’s financial dealings on December 14, 2025, alleging that the former regulator lives far beyond his legitimate means. Central to the allegations are claims that four of Mr. Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, with expenses allegedly running into several millions of dollars.
Dangote listed the institutions attended as Montreux School (Faisal Farouk), Aiglon College (Farouk Jr.), Institut Le Rosey (Ashraf Farouk), and La Garenne International School (Farhana Farouk). He stated that each child spent six years in these schools, estimating annual tuition, travel, and upkeep at approximately $200,000 per child—amounting to about $5 million in total for secondary education alone.
The petition further alleged that an additional $2 million was spent on tertiary education for the four children, including $210,000 reportedly paid for Faisal Farouk’s MBA programme at Harvard University in 2025.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr. Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as N10,000 in school fees,” Dangote stated.
The filing of the petition underscores Dangote’s stated commitment to transparency, accountability, and integrity within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, while calling for a comprehensive investigation to restore public confidence in the nation’s regulatory institutions.