The ongoing protest by lawyers demanding investigation of corruption allegations against Farouk Ahmed, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) continued on Wednesday with the protesters submitting a petition to the House of Representatives.
The protesters had earlier on Tuesday submitted same petition to the Senate, which promised to commence an investigation.
The lawyers, in the petition, detailed allegations including gross misappropriation of public funds, conflict of interest, and abuse of office against Ahmed. They demanded the immediate investigation of the alleged offences.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Samuel Ihensekhien said, “We are here again to demand accountability and transparency from Mr. Farouk Ahmed. His actions are a clear betrayal of the public trust, and it’s time for him to face the consequences.”;
Allegations highlighted in the petition include diversion of over $5 million of public funds to finance the private foreign education of Ahmed’s four children.
The petition also noted that Ahmed’s son, Faisal, is employed by Oando PLC, a private entity directly under the regulatory oversight of NMDPRA, a development which the protesters said constitutes a case of conflict of interest.
“This is a clear case of corruption and abuse of office. We will not stand idly by while public officials loot our treasury and undermine our institutions,”; Ihensekhien added.
The petitioners are demanding that Ahmed be immediately suspended, investigated, and prosecuted, and that his assets be frozen nationwide.
They also asked the National Assembly to commence an immediate investigation, recommend Ahmed’s immediate sack and suspension, and collaborate with international security agencies like Interpol to ensure his extradition back to Nigeria.
The lawyers also called for the freezing of his local and offshore assets, and equally called for sweeping reforms in the appointment of regulatory agency heads in the oil and gas sector.
“We demand that the National Assembly takes bold action to restore public trust in our institutions and ensure that public officials are held accountable for their actions,”; another leader of the protesters, Dr. S. M Oyeghe, said.
The petition is backed by civil society organizations, including the Situation Room for Oil Sector Reforms, the Concerned Young Professionals Network, and the Coalition for Public Accountability (COPA).
