News Investigators/ Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) a Civil Society Organisation has called on Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to investigate alleged unexplained wealth involving Farouk Ahmed.
Mr Ahmed is the Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
It would be recalled that the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, in a viral media report accused Ahmed of living above his income.
He alleged that Mr Ahmed paid five million dollars in school fees for his children studying abroad.
Mr Dangote is a major player in Nigeria’s lucrative oil industry with his Dangote refinery producing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel for local consumption and export.
He claims that by issuing fresh fuel import licences, NMDPRA, the regulator, was undermining local crude oil refiners such as his firm.
Nelson Nwafor, Executive Director, FENRAD, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday said it was imperative for Ahmed to be investigated.
He said the allegations, though unproven, raised serious public interest concerns that require urgent scrutiny.
According to Mr Nwafor the allegations are too weighty to be ignored by anti-corruption agencies.
He, however, acknowledged that Ahmed remained innocent until proven otherwise.
Mr Nwafor, therefore, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), among others to step into the matter.
He said thee allegation should also be of interest to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CFTPI), Ibrahim Bello, has dismissed the allegations.
He said: “Our findings clearly show that Farouk Ahmed has not engaged in any corrupt practice
“Rather, he has been repositioning the downstream sector to promote fairness, competition and efficiency, while ensuring that no single entity monopolises the industry to the detriment of Nigerians,” media quoted him as saying.
NAN
