Aliko Dangote, chief executive officer of Dangote Industries Limited, through his legal counsel, has filed a formal corruption petition against Ahmed Farouk at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The development was disclosed on Friday in a statement by the Dangote Group media team.
Dangote had previously petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Ahmed, the former chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The petition alleged that Ahmed spent $5 million on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland.
The ICPC had vowed to continue its investigation even after Dangote withdrew the petition a few days ago.
According to Friday’s statement, the petition to the EFCC followed “the withdrawal of the same petition from the ICPC, a strategic decision aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.”
In the petition, signed by lead counsel O.J. Onoja, Dangote urged the EFCC to probe allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Ahmed and to prosecute him if found culpable.
The petition added that Dangote would provide evidence to substantiate claims of financial misconduct and impunity.
“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. See Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1624) 337,” the petition read.
The petition further called “to investigate the complaint of abuse of office and corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”
Farouk resigned as NMDPRA boss barely 24 hours after the petition was filed, following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.