NBA Calls For Probe Of MD of NMDPRA, Ahmed Farouk Despite Resignation

The Nigerian Bar Association has called for an investigation into allegations of corruption levelled against the immediate past Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk who recently resigned from the position 

It will be recalled that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, had accused Ahmed of acts of corruption and economic sabotage, asking that Ahmed be probed.

The NBA President Afam Osigwe who was speaking on Wednesday as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by Edu-biznews, says the investigation is necessary despite Ahmed’s resignation.

“It will be unfair for me to take sides with any of the sides,” Osigwe said.

“The matter has become embarrassing for public officials and the government. The ICPC indicated that they will investigate the allegation. Let it not be that these allegations were used to get rid of a person,” .

“Let there be a proper investigation so that the man clears his name, or it is proved that he was actually corrupt or guilty of the allegations against him.”he added 

Dangote said the NMDPRA chief had spent “taxpayers’” funds amounting to millions of dollars on the secondary school education of his children in Switzerland, releasing a breakdown of the expenditure in the published advert.

The billionaire petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the matter, calling for Ahmed’s arrest, investigation, and prosecution, and accusing him of “living beyond his means” as a public official.

He alleged that Ahmed was using the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for self-gain and the pursuit of private interest to the detriment of the Nigerian people, which orchestrated uproar and protest by different groups recently.

Dangote claimed that the NMDPRA boss, throughout his lifetime as an adult, worked in the public sector in Nigeria and that the totality of his earnings over the years was nothing close to $7 million.

Days after the allegations, Ahmed turned in his resignation following a brief meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

He had earlier described Dangote’s claims as “wild” and “spurious.”

President Tinubu later sent the name of Engineer Saidu Mohammed to the Nigerian Senate, for confirmation to replace Ahmed Farouk as CEO of NMDPRA while Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan will also be replacing Gbenga Komolafe who resigned in similar circumstances as Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)