The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has taken formal steps to investigate allegations made by billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote against the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Alhaji Farouk Ahmed.
The anti-graft agency made it clear that the burden of proof lies with the petitioner, stressing the principle that “He who alleges must prove.”
As part of the process, Dangote has been invited to appear before the commission or send his legal representative to submit documents and evidence backing his claims.
The invitation marks the official commencement of the probe into the allegations, which centre on claims of corruption, abuse of office and illicit enrichment.
The commission is expected to formally adopt the petition at the scheduled meeting, after which the investigation will move into a full evidence-based phase.
ICPC officials confirmed that a special panel of investigators has been set up to handle the case. The move signals the seriousness with which the commission is treating the petition, especially given the public interest generated by the claims.
The commission also clarified that Ahmed’s resignation from office does not in any way affect the investigation.
According to officials, the allegations concern actions allegedly carried out while he was a public officer, and such matters remain subject to investigation regardless of resignation or change of status.
Once the petition is formally adopted, investigators are expected to isolate specific allegations and invite Ahmed to respond accordingly.
The ICPC assured that all parties involved would be treated fairly and that due process would be strictly followed throughout the investigation.
The commission further warned that while it is duty-bound to investigate credible allegations, the law also provides penalties for malicious or frivolous petitions that waste public resources. Petitioners, it said, must be prepared to substantiate their claims with verifiable evidence.
Dangote’s petition accuses Ahmed of living far beyond his legitimate income as a public servant.
Central to the allegations is a claim that the former regulator spent millions of dollars on the education of his children in Switzerland, an expense Dangote argues cannot be justified by Ahmed’s official earnings.
The businessman also alleged that Ahmed abused his position by diverting public funds for personal benefit and using the regulatory agency to advance private interests at the expense of Nigerians.
He claimed that these actions contributed to public discontent and protests in parts of the country.
Dangote has reportedly expressed willingness to personally cooperate with investigators and provide documentary evidence to support his claims.
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