The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded a thorough investigation into corruption allegations levelled against Farouk Ahmed, the former Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), emphasising that his resignation does not equate to exoneration.
Ahmed tendered his resignation on Wednesday following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, amid escalating accusations from Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, had publicly accused Ahmed of corruption during a press conference in Lagos on Sunday, claiming the regulator spent approximately $5 million on his four children's secondary education in Switzerland, an amount allegedly incompatible with his public service salary.
The billionaire further alleged forgery, false asset declarations, and economic sabotage related to the operations of the Dangote Refinery, Africa's largest.
On Tuesday, Dangote escalated the matter by petitioning the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Ahmed.
NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), in a television interview, stressed that such grave allegations must be probed to their logical conclusion, regardless of the official's exit from office.
"Resignation does not amount to exoneration and must not be treated as closure," Osigwe stated, warning that failing to investigate fosters impunity and erodes public institutions.
He cautioned against a recurring pattern where serious claims lead to resignations without accountability, arguing that this creates perceptions of allegations being weaponised for political or commercial gain rather than genuine pursuit of justice.
"Allegations of this nature are too weighty to be used merely as tools for political expediency or administrative convenience," Osigwe added.
"Accountability processes must be driven by a sincere desire to uphold the rule of law, not by political manoeuvring."
The NBA leader, while declining to take sides in the Dangote-Ahmed dispute, underscored the need for transparency to maintain public confidence in governance and anti-corruption efforts.
"Building strong institutions requires consistency, transparency, and follow-through," he said, adding that superficial handling of such cases undermines Nigeria's fight against corruption.
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