Farouk Ahmed Disowns Statement Circulating on Corruption Allegations

Farouk Ahmed Disowns Statement Circulating on Corruption Allegations
Acknowledged awareness of the allegations
He added that the petitioner had already taken the matter to a formal investigative body

The Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, has formally disowned a lengthy statement circulating in the public space and attributed to him in response to recent corruption allegations.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that in a disclaimer made available , Ahmed said the statement, which sought to address issues surrounding his career, financial standing, regulatory decisions and the funding of his children’s education abroad, did not originate from him.

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“My attention has been drawn to a purported response I was said to have made on the recent allegations against my person. I hereby state categorically that the so-called statement did not emanate from me,” he said.

While acknowledging awareness of the allegations and the intense public debate they have generated, the NMDPRA chief said he deliberately chose not to engage in public exchanges on the matter.

“While I am aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against me and my family and the frenzy it has generated, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I have opted not to engage in public brickbat,” Ahmed stated.

He added that the petitioner had already taken the matter to a formal investigative body, which he believes provides the appropriate forum for an objective assessment of the claims and an opportunity for him to clear his name.

The disowned statement, which circulated widely on social media and some online platforms, ran into several pages and presented itself as an official response from the NMDPRA chief. It attempted to justify the source of funds used for the overseas education of his children, outlined his decades-long career in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory sector, and defended regulatory decisions taken under his leadership, particularly on import licensing and fuel supply security.

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The document also contained extensive commentary on regulatory independence, the Petroleum Industry Act, and what it described as resistance from vested commercial interests affected by reforms in the downstream petroleum sector.

However, Ahmed’s clarification makes it clear that he neither authored nor authorised the publication and has refrained from making any public pronouncement on the substance of the allegations.

The controversy follows a petition submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) by Dangote Group President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, accusing the NMDPRA chief of corruption, abuse of office and unexplained wealth.

The petition has heightened scrutiny of the petroleum regulator at a time of increased tension in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly around fuel supply, pricing and import licensing.