The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described the corruption allegation levelled against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mallam Farouk Ahmed, by Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, as grave, weighty and too serious to be ignored by the Federal Government.

Reacting to Dangote’s public disclosure that the NMDPRA boss allegedly spent about five million dollars on secondary school education for his four children in Switzerland, HURIWA said the allegation strikes at the heart of public accountability and the credibility of Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, stressing that such a claim coming from a man of Dangote’s stature cannot be swept under the carpet.

HURIWA noted that Aliko Dangote is widely known as a measured and cautious businessman who rarely makes public accusations, especially against serving public officials, and therefore argued that his decision to openly raise the issue strongly suggests that the matter deserves urgent and transparent investigation.

According to the rights group, the alleged expenditure, if proven to be true, is completely inconsistent with the known earnings of a career public servant and raises red flags bordering on illicit enrichment, abuse of office, and possible diversion of public funds.

HURIWA said that the information already placed in the public domain by Dangote is sufficient to trigger immediate action by law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, adding that Nigerians should not be made to wait endlessly while such a scandal festers.

The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately suspend Mallam Farouk Ahmed from office to allow for an unhindered and credible investigation, insisting that allowing him to remain in office while probes are ongoing would undermine public confidence in the process and weaken the government’s anti-corruption posture.

HURIWA further declared that if indeed the NMDPRA chief executive paid five million dollars for his children’s secondary education abroad, he ought to be arrested and compelled to account for the source of such funds, in line with existing laws on asset declaration and public service conduct.

The association said it is already compiling relevant documents and records and will, within the week, formally petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to investigate the matter thoroughly.

HURIWA stressed that if the EFCC is waiting for a formal petition before acting, the organisation is ready and willing to submit one voluntarily in the interest of sanitising the society and supporting President Tinubu’s declared fight against corruption.

The group maintained that the issue goes beyond personal attacks or corporate disagreements and instead touches on the moral authority of regulatory institutions and the sacrifices ordinary Nigerians make daily to survive in a harsh economic environment.

HURIWA warned that failure to act decisively on the allegation would send a dangerous signal that powerful public officials are above scrutiny, while citizens are subjected to economic hardship and strict enforcement of laws.

The association reiterated its demand for an immediate suspension, a full-scale investigation by the EFCC and CCT, and public disclosure of findings, insisting that only transparency and accountability can restore trust in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory system and the broader governance structure.

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