•The protesters
A civil society organisation, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), today staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja, calling for a swift and transparent probe of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed.
The group, led by its conveners, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince and Igwe Ude-Umenta, said its action followed a petition it submitted to the ICPC on December 17, 2025, arising from a public claim made by the President of Dangote Group Plc, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, concerning the conduct of the NMDPRA leadership.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “ICPC Must Act Now,” the protesters urged the anti-graft agencies to act promptly in the interest of transparency and public accountability, stressing that the matter had generated significant public attention.
EUYI said that several hours after the petition was submitted, there had been no official response or clarification from the affected official, a development it described as unsatisfactory given the level of public interest surrounding the issue.
“In a country grappling with serious economic challenges, any allegation touching on the conduct of public officials should be handled promptly and transparently by the appropriate institutions,” the group said.
The organisation urged the ICPC and EFCC to carry out their statutory responsibilities by reviewing the petition and taking necessary steps in line with due process, emphasising that its demand was not a declaration of guilt but a call for investigation.
EUYI noted that its action was not intended to undermine the integrity of the anti-corruption agencies, but rather to encourage timely intervention that would help strengthen public confidence in governance and accountability mechanisms.
“Nigeria continues to suffer the effects of corruption. Open and professional handling of issues involving public office holders is essential to restoring trust in public institutions,” the group stated.
While acknowledging the principle that every public official is presumed innocent until proven otherwise, EUYI maintained that clarifying issues of public concern through lawful investigation serves the collective interest of citizens and the credibility of public institutions.
The group said it would continue peaceful advocacy and engagement with relevant authorities until the matter is addressed in line with the law.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the ICPC nor the NMDPRA had issued an official statement on the development, while efforts to obtain comments from Engr. Ahmed were unsuccessful.
