NANS Backs NMDPRA Chief as Dangote Petitions ICPC Over Alleged Corruption

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned what it described as a coordinated media smear campaign against Ahmed Farouk, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), warning that statutory regulators must not be intimidated or blackmailed to serve private interests.

In a statement jointly signed by Samson Ajasa and Humphrey Jonathan, NANS stressed that the NMDPRA is a legally established regulatory body whose leadership must be allowed to operate independently, without pressure from individuals or corporate entities.

While reaffirming its earlier support for the Dangote Refinery during its operational challenges, NANS said it drew a clear line against character assassination, insisting that reputational attacks on public officials undermine national institutions.

“The recent actions and allegations directed at Farouk Ahmed, a man of proven integrity and professionalism, are unacceptable to Nigerian students and civil society,” the statement said, urging investors to engage regulators through legal and administrative channels, rather than public campaigns capable of eroding confidence in governance.

NANS commended the NMDPRA for publishing regulatory reports transparently and called for constructive collaboration between regulators and investors to advance national development.

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The reaction followed a petition filed by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, against Farouk before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The petition, dated December 16, and submitted through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, requested the ICPC to investigate, detain and prosecute the NMDPRA boss over alleged corrupt enrichment.

Dangote alleged that Farouk spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland, claiming the expenditure could not be justified by his legitimate earnings as a public servant. The petition accused Farouk of abuse of office, embezzlement of public funds, and violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, offences punishable under Section 19 of the ICPC Act.

According to Dangote, the alleged misuse of public funds contributed to public discontent and protests, insisting that the ICPC’s intervention would safeguard accountability and the credibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

However, the NMDPRA has denied all allegations, describing them as misinformation-driven attacks aimed at discrediting its leadership. The authority maintained that the claims were part of a broader attempt to undermine regulatory oversight in the downstream oil sector.

NANS warned that politicising regulatory disputes could weaken public institutions and called on all parties to respect due process, noting that the stability of Nigeria’s energy sector depends on the independence and credibility of its regulators.

NANS Backs NMDPRA Chief as Dangote Petitions ICPC Over Alleged Corruption