Dangote Withdraws ICPC Petition Against Ex-NMDPRA Boss

 Legal representatives of billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote have formally notified the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of the withdrawal of a petition filed against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past Authority Chief Executive and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

In a letter dated January 5, 2025, addressed to the

 ICPC, Dangote’s counsel, Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN,

 informed the commission that the petition had

 been withdrawn in full. The correspondence,

 titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against

 Engineer Farouk Ahmed,” also disclosed that

 investigations into the matter have now been

 taken over by another, unnamed government

 agency.

Responding to the development, ICPC

 spokesperson John Odey clarified that the

 withdrawal of the petition would not halt the

 commission’s actions, stressing that

 investigations would continue in the public

 interest.

Odey confirmed that the commission had

 received the withdrawal letter from Dr. O.J.

 Onoja, SAN & Associates, acting on behalf of

 Alhaji Aliko Dangote. According to him, the letter

 stated that the original petition dated December

 16, 2025, against the former NMDPRA chief

 executive had been completely withdrawn.

Despite this, the ICPC maintained that its

 investigative processes had already been

 activated. Odey explained that, in line with

 Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of the ICPC Act, the

 commission is empowered to proceed with

 investigations once initiated, regardless of a

 petitioner’s withdrawal.

He emphasised that the commission would

 continue to pursue the matter in accordance with

 its statutory responsibilities, adding that the ICPC

 remains committed to promoting transparency,

 accountability, and the fight against corruption in

 Nigeria.