The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has formally withdrawn his petition against Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Okay News reports that the anti-corruption agency, however, made it clear that the withdrawal does not affect its ongoing investigation into the allegations, stressing that the matter involves public interest and cannot be terminated solely at the request of a petitioner.
In the petition, Dangote had accused Ahmed of allegedly expending more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland. The complaint claimed that the tuition fees were paid in advance for up to six years and questioned whether such expenditure could be justified by any verifiable legitimate income.
Confirming the development in a statement issued late Tuesday, the ICPC’s Spokesperson and Head of Media and Public Communications, Mr. John Okor Odey, said the commission had received formal notice of the withdrawal.
“The ICPC is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2025, titled ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed’, submitted to the Commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” the statement said.
According to the commission, the letter informed it that the petition dated December 16, 2025, had been withdrawn in its entirety, with an indication that another law enforcement agency had taken over the matter.
Despite this, the ICPC emphasised that its work would not stop.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing,” the statement added.
The agency stressed that it remains bound by law to pursue the case.
“The ICPC will therefore continue to investigate this matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria,” it said.
