Tension rose in Abuja on Tuesday as angry protesters camped at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, demanding the probe and resignation of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed.
The demonstrators, under the civil society group Concerned Young Professionals Network, said Ahmed must explain how he allegedly paid millions of dollars for his children’s education abroad while serving as a public officer.
They also raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest involving Ahmed’s son, who they claimed works with Oando PLC, one of the oil companies supervised by the NMDPRA. They argued this connection is suspicious and could influence regulatory decisions.
In a petition submitted to the ICPC, the group asked the anti-corruption body to partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Code of Conduct Bureau to thoroughly investigate Ahmed’s finances and actions in office.
“The Nigerian public is curious about Engr. Ahmed’s source of income that enabled him to afford the alleged huge sums of money as tuition fees for his children,” the group’s national president, Comrade Innocent Ofonyi, wrote in the petition.
The petition also accused Ahmed of allowing the importation of diesel with high sulphur content, which they say is dangerous to both human health and the environment.
They demanded an urgent investigation into all import permits approved under his leadership, saying that the credibility of the agency is now at risk.
On Monday, another group under the Situation Room for Oil Sector Reforms had taken their protest to the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau, calling for similar actions.
As of press time, Engr. Ahmed has not responded to the allegations, and no statement has been issued by the NMDPRA.
The protesters, however, say they will remain at the ICPC office until their demands are met, vowing to hold public officers accountable regardless of their position.
“We want to see a Nigeria where public funds are not used for private luxury, and where regulators are not compromised,” Ofonyi said.
The ICPC has yet to comment on whether an investigation will be launched.
