By EMMANUELLA ANOKAM

Mr Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has denied responding to recent allegations against him by Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited.

This is contained in a statement signed by Ahmed, denying responding to the allegations, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ahmed, on Wednesday, said he was aware of the wild and spurious allegations made against him and his family, and the frenzy it had generated.

According to him, as a regulator of a sensitive industry, I opted not to engage in public brickbat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dangote, on Sunday, had accused the leadership of the NMDPRA of colluding with international traders and oil importers to frustrate local refining.

This, Dangote said, was done through the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products.

NAN also reports that Dangote alleged that Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means, claiming that four of his children attend secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into several million dollars.

“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 that the statement did not emanate from me,” he said.

“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,” he said. (NAN, but headline rejigged)