. Agency rejects representation in fraud allegation petition
Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote must appear personally to adopt his corruption allegation petition, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has indicated.
The business mogul filed a petition before the agency against former Chief Executive of
Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, alleging fraud.
The agency said the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, does not allow proxy representation on criminal matters.
It gave Dangote December 29 deadline to appear before it.
The anti-graft commission conveyed its decision to Dangote’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu Onoja (SAN), in a December 24 letter.
Onoja had on December 22, gone to the ICPC office to adopt the petition.
But in a letter to Onoja by the Chief of Staff to ICPC Chairman, Rouqayya Ibrahim, the commission said it was necessary for Dangote to come in person.
The letter, which was exclusively obtained by The Nation, reads in part: “The commission acknowledges the appearance of your good self…, wherein you adopted the petition in respect of the allegations made against Engr. Farouk Ahmed on behalf of your client, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
“While the commission appreciates your representation, we are constrained to draw your attention to the fact that the matter under investigation is criminal in nature, being conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
“As you are aware, criminal investigations may culminate in criminal proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction.
“In such circumstances, the statement and personal adoption of the petition by the complainant may be required to be tendered in court as part of the evidentiary process.
“It is therefore essential, for purposes of procedural integrity and admissibility, that Alhaji Aliko Dangote personally adopts his petition before the commission.
“Accordingly, we respectfully request that you kindly facilitate the appearance of Alhaji Aliko Dangote at the Commission’s Headquarters on 29th December 2025 at 10am, for the purpose of formally adopting his petition. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.”
Dangote had alleged that Ahmed spent over $7million in public funds on his four children’s education at elite Swiss schools, with fees paid upfront for up to six years.
He alleged: “That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over $7million of public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront.”
The Cold War between Dangote and the petroleum regulator had resulted in a N100billion suit.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE filed a N100 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging import licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and others, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The refinery accused the regulator of granting licences to import refined petroleum products despite domestic production capacity.
It alleged that the action of the regulator violated some sections of the Petroleum Industry Act.
But the suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, was discontinued in July by Dangote’s lawyers.
ICPC’s petition guidelines say: “Any person anywhere in the world may make a complaint against any other person (corporate or non-corporate) in Nigeria, where reasonable grounds exist for suspecting that such a person has conspired to commit or attempted to commit or has committed an offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
(The Nation)
