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Trouble looming as Dangote wants probe of NMPDPRA boss, Farouk by CCB over alleged scam
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Founder and President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, accused the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, of corruption, alleging that he spent $5 million on secondary school education for his children in Switzerland.
He made the allegation on Sunday during a media briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant, Lekki, Lagos, describing the alleged expenditure as inconsistent with a public servant’s income and a threat to public trust in regulatory institutions.
Dangote said the alleged payment covered six years of secondary education for four children, an amount he argued could not reasonably be explained by earnings from public service.
“I’ve had people actually complaining about a regulator who put his children in secondary school, and that secondary school education, which is six years, four of them cost Nigeria five million dollars.
“My children went to secondary school in Nigeria. They did not go outside Nigeria to attend secondary school,” Dangote said.
Dangote said taxpayers deserve accountability and questioned why a public official could afford to spend millions of dollars on his children’s foreign education if public funds were being properly used.
“This is a system where some of us are taxpayers. When people are complaining, we also complain, because when I pay tax, I want to see my money put to use, not stolen.
“I don’t know why the authority chief executive, Mallam Farouk, has four children educated in Switzerland at the cost of five million dollars for their secondary school education alone, not university,” he alleged.
The billionaire said the alleged expenditure raised serious concerns about income declaration, conflicts of interest, and regulatory integrity in the downstream petroleum sector.
“The man must come and explain to Nigerians how he paid five million dollars for six years of his four children’s education.
I don’t think any of you here has paid that kind of fees for your own children. We cannot allow this to continue, because we must make sure people do not come and destroy a country just because they want to make a living that is not genuine or legal,” he said.
Dangote further referenced reports about overseas university education.
“I know that one of them just finished Harvard. I want to see what kind of system we are operating where people are busy destroying a country and taking money from government, because their income does not match this kind of spending,” he said.
“Even if it were me paying five million dollars for six years for four children, the taxman would have to look at my taxes and ask how much I paid.”
Call For Investigation
Dangote said Ahmed should not be immediately dismissed from office but must first be investigated by relevant authorities to clear his name.
“The Code of Conduct Bureau, or any other body deemed appropriate by the government, should investigate the matter. Let them see whether his income matches the five million dollars paid as school fees for six years for four children. This is without tickets.
“He does not need to be sacked. Let him come and clear that he has not compromised his positions in government at the cost of Nigerians,” he said.
The CEO contrasted the allegation with the struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
“From where he comes from, people are struggling to pay ₦100,000 for secondary school fees. Many children are at home because their parents cannot afford that amount.
“I cannot understand why someone who has worked all his life in government would have four children whose secondary school fees alone cost five million dollars,” he said.
Threat To Sue Swiss School
Dangote warned that he would take legal steps to compel disclosure if the allegation was denied.
“If he denies it, I will not only publish what he paid as tuition in those secondary schools, but I will also sue the schools to disclose how much he paid for the entire period.
“He should tell Nigerians which universities they attended and how much was paid there. People who have done something wrong must be prosecuted,” he said.
Ahmed has yet to respond to the allegation as of the time of filing this report.
Yaya Bauchi Tongo, a member of House of Representatives representing Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State is dead.
Rep Tongo died in Abuja on Friday following a brief illness, the spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Akintude Rotimi said in a statement quoting the Gombe State Caucus of the House of Representatives.
While paying tribute to the late lawmaker, Rotimi said his death marked the end of a distinguished life devoted to public service and the advancement of his constituents, Gombe State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Rep. Tongo was a dedicated public servant, seasoned grassroots politician, and committed legislator whose life was marked by unwavering service to his people and the nation,” Rotimi said.
The deceased lawmaker served as Chairman of Funakaye Local Government Area, Special Adviser to the Government of Gombe State, and Member of the Gombe State House of Assembly before his election into House of Representatives.
He was Chairman of the Nigeria–United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Friendship Group in the House of Representatives.
“A respected voice within the Parliament and a passionate advocate for the welfare and development of his constituents, Hon. Tongo brought wisdom, experience, and a deep understanding of governance to legislative deliberations. His contributions to nation-building and democratic development will remain an enduring part of his legacy.
“On behalf of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, the leadership, and the entire membership of the House, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the people of Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, and the Government and people of Gombe State on this painful loss.
“As we mourn the passing of our dear colleague, we pray that Almighty Allah (SWT) forgives his shortcomings, accepts his good deeds, and grants him Aljannatul Firdaus. We also pray that Allah (SWT) grants his family, loved ones, constituents, and colleagues the strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” Rotimi said.
He added that further details regarding parliamentary tributes and funeral arrangements will be communicated in due course.
A member of the House of Representatives from Kaduna North and Chairman, Committee on Banking Regulations, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has disclosed that his father, Nasir El-Rufai’s continued detention shows that Nigeria’s democratic journey is far from complete.
Bello noted that democracy can only thrive in Nigeria when the country’s leadership is accountable.
El-Rufai has been in custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, since he was arrested at the Abuja airport earlier in the year.
The commission had arraigned him for corruption while he was governor of Kaduna State.
However, posting on X, Bello wrote: “Today, we celebrate the enduring strength of our democracy and the collective voice of the Nigerian people. Democracy thrives when leadership is accountable, citizens are empowered, and every voice is heard.
“As we commemorate this important day, we must also acknowledge that while our democracy continues to endure, the abuse of citizens’ rights remains a troubling reality.
“The true test of any democracy is not simply the conduct of elections, but its commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
“The continued unlawful detention of my father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, alongside the experiences of many other Nigerians who have faced similar violations, serves as a reminder that our democratic journey is far from complete.
“On this Democracy Day, let us recommit ourselves to building a nation where justice prevails, institutions are strengthened, and the rights of every citizen are respected and protected.”
The National Leader of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, on Friday held a closed-door meeting with the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, amid recent crises in the party.
Dickson made this known in a statement on his official X handle, revealing that the meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, was attended by Obi and other senior party leaders.
“I just received my brother, colleague, and partner in the New Nigerian Project, His Excellency Mr Peter Gregory Obi, CON, our presidential candidate, who, together with some distinguished leaders of our party, held a closed-door meeting which lasted about three hours.
“In the course of that meeting, we reviewed the activities of our party and discussed a few recent issues that have been a source of concern to all sides, and we amicably resolved all the issues.
“We have always been on the same page on the bigger picture, i.e., winning the elections for all candidates of our party and rescuing Nigeria from the misgovernance of the APC-led government. However, a few issues have arisen, and we have agreed on how to handle them moving forward.
“I want to use this opportunity again to call on all members of our party to stop the bickering and name-calling and focus on the bigger picture.
“Both His Excellency Peter Obi and I, as well as other leaders and stakeholders of our party, will continue to consult and engage with one another to address and resolve concerns, strengthen the unity and cohesion of our party, and ensure that we remain focused on our shared mission of rescuing Nigeria and building a better future for all.”
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