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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Chairman of Dangote Group, Dr Aliko Dangote, has formally submitted his petition against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing him of corruption and financial impropriety.
In the petition submitted yesterday through his lawyer, Dr James Onoja (SAN), Dangote demanded the arrest, investigation and prosecution of Ahmed for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
The petition, which was received by the office of the Chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), specifically accused the NMDPRA boss of spending, without evidence of lawful means of income, an amount totalling over 7 million USD on the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years, paid upfront.
Dangote, in the petition, named the four children and their schools in Switzerland, including the amount paid for each of them, to establish his allegations and aid verification by the anti-graft agency.
He alleged that Farouk Ahmed was using the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain and the pursuit of private interests, to the detriment of the Nigerian people, which he said had recently orchestrated uproar and protests by different groups.
The oil magnate claimed that Farouk Ahmed, throughout his lifetime as an adult, worked in the public sector in Nigeria and that the totality of his earnings over the years was nothing close to 7 million USD, allegedly diverted from the public coffers to pay for the education of his teenage children abroad.
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“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.
“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,” Dangote said.
“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”.
Dangote vowed to be on ground to proffer evidence in proof of his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office, and impunity against Engr Farouk Ahmed.
