The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has opened an investigation into allegations against Farouk Ahmed, former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), following a petition submitted by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Industries.
Senior officials at the anti-graft agency confirmed that investigators will write directly to a Swiss educational institution where Ahmed’s children reportedly attend school, as part of efforts to verify claims raised in the petition.
Dangote initially filed the petition in December 2025 with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). He alleged that Ahmed spent about $7 million on his children’s secondary education in Switzerland—an amount he argued could not align with the lawful earnings of a public officer.
In the petition, Dangote accused the former regulator of abusing his office and violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, claiming that public funds may have financed the foreign school fees.
Petition Moves From ICPC to EFCC
Dangote later withdrew the petition from the ICPC through a letter dated January 5, 2026, signed by his legal counsel. Despite the withdrawal, the ICPC announced that it would continue its inquiry, citing its statutory powers under Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act.
On January 6, the Dangote Group confirmed that Dangote had submitted a fresh petition to the EFCC, requesting a separate investigation into the same allegations.
EFCC Begins Evidence Gathering
A senior EFCC official familiar with the case confirmed on Saturday that the commission had commenced preliminary work on the petition. However, investigators have not invited Ahmed for questioning at this stage.
According to the official, the EFCC has begun by contacting institutions and individuals named in the petition to obtain documents and clarifications needed for the investigation.
“We have started working on the petition, but we have not invited the accused,” the official said.
“Our standard procedure requires us to engage all relevant parties first. We invite the accused only after we complete both local and international inquiries.”
The source explained that investigators must first establish facts through documentary evidence and third-party confirmations before confronting the individual named in the petition.
Another EFCC official added that some of the allegations require cross-border verification, which may involve direct correspondence with the Swiss school referenced in the complaint.
“We need to confirm certain claims in the petition, and that process may require us to write to the school in Switzerland,” the official said.
EFCC Cites Previous School-Fee Investigations
The EFCC has previously contacted educational institutions during investigations into alleged misuse of public funds for school fees.
In the case involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed in 2024 that Bello allegedly transferred $720,000 from government funds to a bureau de change shortly before leaving office to prepay his child’s tuition.
During that investigation, the American International School of Abuja confirmed in a letter to the EFCC that it received $845,852 in tuition payments from September 7, 2021. The school also stated that $760,910 remained refundable after deducting fees for services already rendered.
Probe Remains Ongoing
EFCC officials stressed that the investigation into the petition against the former NMDPRA managing director remains at a preliminary stage. The commission plans to conclude its fact-finding engagements before deciding whether to formally invite Ahmed for questioning.
