The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, has formally withdrawn his corruption petition against Ahmed Farouk, the immediate past chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Dangote had, in December 2025, petitioned the anti-graft agency through his legal counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), accusing Farouk of corruption and financial misconduct while in office. The petition alleged that the former regulator lived beyond his legitimate earnings and called for his arrest, investigation and prosecution.
Among the allegations was a claim that Farouk spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Swiss schools over a six-year period, an expenditure Dangote argued could not be justified by Farouk’s known sources of income as a public servant.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, ICPC spokesperson Okor Odey disclosed that the commission received a formal notice withdrawing the petition from Dangote’s lawyer. According to him, the withdrawal was total and based on the fact that another law enforcement agency had assumed responsibility for the matter.
Despite the development, the ICPC said it would not discontinue its actions on the case. Odey explained that investigations had already commenced in line with the commission’s statutory responsibilities and would proceed regardless of the petitioner’s decision to step back.
“The commission has begun investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state, and these investigations are ongoing,” the ICPC said, citing provisions of its enabling law that empower it to act independently of petitioners once a matter is under review.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, stressing that the fight against corruption would not be halted by the withdrawal of a complaint.
Farouk resigned from his position as NMDPRA chief executive less than 24 hours after the petition was submitted, following a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
