The Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, is facing intensifying scrutiny following moves to pay more than ₦200 billion in outstanding bridging claims to oil marketers, according to a press statement sent to Channels Television by the Dangote Group on Wednesday.
According to the statement, quoting industry sources, the company said the planned payment of the claims, which reportedly covered legacy obligations for 2023, 2024, and 2025, has allegedly raised serious concerns among economists and sector analysts, particularly over the absence of verifiable data to justify a significant portion of the claims.
Bridging claims are government payments made to oil marketers to compensate for the cost of transporting petroleum products from depots to various parts of the country, enabling uniform pump prices nationwide.
The statement noted that industry analysts say the benefit was rarely enjoyed by Nigerians, as petroleum products are sold at a higher rate in most parts of the country.
“In several instances, marketers submit bridging claims that do not correspond with the levies paid per litre, with discrepancies of up to 47 per cent. The current move to settle approximately N250 billion in legacy bridging claims, despite the regulator’s inability to provide empirical data to substantiate as much as 47 per cent of those claims against verified levies paid by depot owners and importers, strongly suggests the presence of irregular and potentially sinister practices.
“It is therefore imperative for the Auditor-General of the Federation to immediately halt the processing of all bridging claims until a comprehensive investigation and forensic audit are conducted to ensure that claims approved by the regulator accurately align with levies paid per litre,” the statement quoted a senior industry source.
Although the statement did not state which body was probing the NMDPRA boss on the bridging claims, the developments come amid a corruption petition filed by the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and unlawful diversion of public funds by the NMDPRA chief.
The anti-graft agency has since confirmed receipt of the petition and announced that investigations have commenced.
In the petition dated Tuesday and submitted through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Dangote urged the ICPC to arrest, investigate, and prosecute Farouk for allegedly living far beyond his legitimate means as a public servant.
According to the petition, received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), Farouk allegedly spent more than $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland, purportedly paid upfront for six years, without any lawful source of income to justify such expenditure.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and, in doing so, enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of public funds running into millions of dollars.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over 7 million dollars of public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” the petition read.
Dangote named the four children, the Swiss schools they attend, and the specific amounts allegedly paid for each, to enable the ICPC to independently verify the claims.
The oil magnate further alleged that Farouk used the instrumentality of the NMDPRA to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, actions he said have fuelled public outrage and recent protests by various groups.
According to Dangote, Farouk has spent his entire adult working life in the Nigerian public sector and could not, based on his legitimate earnings, have accumulated funds close to the alleged $7 million used to finance his children’s education abroad.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement are gross acts of corrupt practices for which your Commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” Dangote stated.
He added that upon successful prosecution, the offence attracts a prison term of five years without an option of a fine.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has corruptly enriched himself with taxpayers’ money meant for public consumption and diverted it into private uses.
“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five (5) years without option of fine,” he said.
READ ALSO: Dangote’s Allegation Against Me, My Family ‘Wild And Spurious’ — Ahmed Farouk
Allegation Against Me ‘Wild And Spurious’
Ahmed has described the corruption allegations levelled against him by Dangote as “wild and spurious”.
Ahmed, in a disclaimer issued and signed by him, noted that he would rather wait to defend himself in the presence of a formal investigative body, rather than engage in public “brickbat” with the entrepreneur.
“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.
“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.
“Thankfully, the person behind the allegations has taken it to a formal investigative institution. I believe that would provide an opportunity to dispassionately distill the issues and to clear my name”, Ahmed’s statement read.
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