President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to order an investigation into an allegation that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr Farouk Ahmed, paid 5 million dollars in secondary school fees for his children.
A coalition of civil society organisations under the platform of the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI) made the call, asking that anti-graft agencies, especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), should verify the claim.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, EUYI convener, Comrade Momoh Prince, said public trust in government depends on transparency and accountability, especially when serious allegations are raised against public officials.
The group explained that its demand followed a public claim linked to industrialist Alhaji Aliko Dangote, which questioned the source of funds allegedly used to pay for the foreign education of Farouk Ahmed’s children.
EUYI noted that the allegation has generated wide public concern against the backdrop of Nigeria’s harsh economic realities, particularly the crisis in the education sector.
The group pointed out that millions of Nigerian children remain out of school and many families cannot afford basic education costs, making any claim of large private spending by a public official highly sensitive.
Comrade Prince stressed that the group was not out to condemn any individual but to demand a thorough and independent investigation that would either confirm or clear the allegation.
He said a transparent probe would help remove doubts, reassure citizens, and show that the government takes corruption-related accusations seriously.
The coalition added that promptly addressing such issues would strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption system and deepen public confidence in state institutions.
It insisted that any investigation must be based strictly on facts, evidence, and the rule of law, and warned against turning the matter into a political weapon.
The civil society groups cautioned that corruption allegations should neither be ignored nor used for partisan battles, as doing so could further weaken trust in governance.
They expressed confidence that the government has the capacity to handle the matter responsibly and urged timely action to prevent rumours and tension from growing in the country.
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