Alleged $5.5 Million Fraud: Fresh Calls For Immediate Suspension of NMDPRA CEO, Ahmed Emerge

• Oduduwa Solidarity Network has renewed calls for the immediate suspension of NMDPRA CEO, Farouk Ahmed, over alleged unexplained foreign expenditure totalling $5.5 million
• The group questioned how Ahmed, a public servant with no known commercial interests, could afford a lifestyle suggesting massive private wealth, describing the situation as "deeply troubling"
• Citing past suspensions of public officials over lesser amounts, the group urged President Tinubu to order Ahmed's suspension and a full-scale investigation by anti-corruption agencies

The Oduduwa Solidarity Network has renewed its call for the immediate suspension of Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

This call is hinged on allegations of a $5.5 million fraud against the NMDPRA boss.

The group made its demand in a statement made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, July 16, where it criticised what it described as government silence in the face of serious financial questions involving one of the most powerful regulatory figures in the oil and gas sector.

Group questions source of foreign expenditure

Comrade Tunde Osinowo, Convener of the Oduduwa Solidarity Network, said the group was disturbed by what it termed a suspicious pattern of excessive spending linked to Ahmed.

“These are not vague insinuations. These are specific, verifiable figures. The total amount allegedly spent abroad exceeds $5.5 million, an amount that, when converted to naira, surpasses the education budgets of some states in Nigeria," Osinowo stated

He said such spending was inconsistent with Ahmed’s known career income and described the situation as “deeply troubling”.

“Farouk Ahmed is not a business tycoon. He is a government employee. He is not known to have any major commercial interests that could justify this kind of financial outlay," he said.

Osinowo: No response, no transparency, just silence

The group lamented the lack of a proper explanation from either Ahmed or the agency he heads.

“When Nigerians asked for answers, NMDPRA responded with unsigned newspaper statements calling civil voices malicious.

“The agency failed to deny the foreign transactions. It provided no documentation, no audit trail, no declaration of assets. Just silence and adjectives. And adjectives are not evidence," Osinowo noted.

Drawing comparisons with previous cases, Osinowo argued that similar allegations had led to immediate actions under past and present administrations.

“In 2024, President Tinubu suspended Betta Edu pending investigation into N585 million transfers. In 2017, President Buhari sacked Babachir Lawal over unaccounted N200 million linked to IDP welfare,” he said.

“If Betta was suspended over N585 million and Babachir was removed over N200 million, how do we explain that Farouk Ahmed is still in office despite a $5.5 million allegation?”

He added that suspending Ahmed does not mean a declaration of guilt but signals the government’s commitment to due process.

Call for full investigation

The Oduduwa Solidarity Network called on President Tinubu to act decisively in line with his stated anti-corruption principles.

“Suspension is the bare minimum of ethical governance. It shows no one is above scrutiny. The refusal to act is weakening public trust—not only in the petroleum sector but in the President’s anti-corruption drive," Osinowo said.

The group further demanded a detailed investigation by the Code of Conduct Bureau, along with a forensic review of all foreign transactions linked to Ahmed and his family over the past 10 years.

They also urged the EFCC, ICPC, and relevant National Assembly committees to take immediate action.

NMDPRA approves 25-year gas distribution licence

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the NMDPRA granted a gas distribution licence to Falcon Corporation. The 25-year gas distribution licence enables the firm to distribute gas to the Ikorodu Industrial Zone.

The development comes as NNPC agreed to a 15% equity in Starzs Gas Limited for CNG supply. Read more: https://www.legit.ng/nigeria/1660502-nmdpra-safe-hands-ahmeds-leadership-civil-society-groups-explain/

Source: Legit.ng