By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has rejected a request by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote to withdraw a petition against the former chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, insisting that investigations must continue.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said the petition, once formally submitted, had become a matter of public interest and could not be withdrawn at the discretion of the complainant.
The Commission stressed that allegations bordering on corruption and abuse of office fall squarely within its statutory mandate and must be fully examined, regardless of any subsequent change of position by the petitioner.
According to the ICPC, preliminary steps had already been taken following receipt of the petition, making it necessary for investigators to proceed in line with due process.
“The Commission wishes to make it clear that petitions alleging corruption are not private disputes that can simply be withdrawn,” the statement said, adding that the integrity of the investigative process must be preserved.
Neither Dangote nor Ahmed has publicly commented on the ICPC’s latest position. However, the development is expected to heighten scrutiny of regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which has long been plagued by allegations of mismanagement and vested interests.
The ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, assuring the public that the investigation would be conducted fairly and without prejudice.
