The Sokoto State Students Forum (SSSF) has called for the immediate sack of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Ahmed Farouk.
In a statement signed by the group’s president, Abdullahi Al-Majeed, it accused the NMDPRA boss of “unforgivable abuse of public trust”.
The group’s president accused the NMDPRA boss of “mocking the suffering of Nigerian students” by allegedly diverting public funds to finance the elite foreign education of his children while millions of children, especially in the north, remain out of school.
“The allegations levelled against Engr. Farouk Ahmed are deeply troubling to all well-meaning Nigerians, but especially to students and young people who are already disillusioned by the scale of systemic corruption,” Al-Majeed said.
“We have studied the evidence submitted by credible civil society organisations. These include school records showing that Ahmed’s children—Faisal Farouk, Ashraf Farouk, Farouk Jr., and Farhana Farouk—attended elite schools such as Aiglon College, La Garenne International School, Institut Le Rosey, and Montreux Secondary School. For those who know, these are schools where annual tuition alone exceeds $130,000, excluding upkeep, flights, and accommodations.
“We are outraged that a public servant would preside over a public institution in a country with more than 10 million out-of-school children, yet spend $5.5 million to fund the most expensive schools abroad for his children.
“The facts are public. The amounts are staggering. The silence from the Presidency is deafening. And the damage to the public psyche is deep.”
According to Al-Majeed, young people across the north are watching closely to see if the administration of President Bola Tinubu will uphold the same standard it applied in the suspension of former official like Betta Edu.
“This is not just about Farouk Ahmed. This is about the moral credibility of the government. If Mr. President could act swiftly in the case of Betta Edu, then he must do the same here. No civil servant, no matter how connected, is above the law,” he said.
The group said Ahmed Farouk’s continued presence in office was both untenable and dangerous for the reputation of the Nigerian public service.
He accused NMDPRA of using public money to sponsor full-page newspaper advertisements in an attempt to “distract and deflect” rather than address the serious questions Nigerians are asking.
It said: “What the agency should have done was to publish verifiable evidence that the NMDPRA CEO has legitimate income streams outside government capable of funding such extravagance. Instead, they chose to gaslight the public. That is unacceptable.”
Al-Majeed added that students across tertiary institutions in Sokoto and neighbouring states were prepared to mobilise mass peaceful demonstrations if the Federal Government fails to act in the coming weeks.
“We are consulting. And if nothing is done, we will come to Abuja. Enough is enough,” he declared.
Meanwhile, Naija News recalls that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had apologised to Farouk Ahmed over corruption allegations it levelled against him.
NANS had in a letter alleged mismanagement of public funds, job and contract racketeering, and abuse of office.
In the letter, NANS claimed some civil society organisations submitted a protest letter to it, requesting their assistance in mobilising Nigerian students to participate in a national mass action demanding Mr Ahmed’s resignation and that of his management team.
But in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa, NANS made a U-turn, saying it had since realised that the allegations of mismanagement of public funds, job and contract racketeering, and abuse of office were based on unverified information.
“In light of recent developments, I wish to provide an update and clarification regarding the allegations made in a letter issued by my office, as the National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA),”the statement said.
“The letter highlighted concerns regarding alleged mismanagement of public funds, job and contract racketeering, abuse of office and the infractions within the agency. Following further investigations and engagements with relevant stakeholders, I have discovered that the issues raised in my earlier correspondence are unfounded and misleading and do not accurately reflect the true state of affairs within the agency.
“The allegations were based on unverified information. As the mouthpiece of over 40.2 million Nigerian students, both at home and in the diaspora, NANS is committed to upholding the values of truth, fairness, and constructive engagement.
“It has become clear that Engr Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of NMDPRA, is leading efforts to reform and modernize the midstream and downstream sectors of the petroleum industry, a vision that aligns with the aspirations of Nigerian students for a more transparent and prosperous society.”
