Arewa Group Calls for Sack of NMDPRA Boss Over Alleged $5.5 Million Spent on Children’s Foreign Education

Arewa Group Calls for Sack of NMDPRA Boss Over Alleged $5.5 Million Spent on Children’s Foreign Education

 

 

…Says Betta Edu Should Not Be Treated Differently

 

The Arewa Youths Forum for Equity and Transparency (AYFET) has demanded the immediate suspension and investigation of Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), over allegations that he spent over $5.5 million on the foreign education of his children.

 

In a statement issued Thursday in Kaduna and signed by its President, Comrade Aminu Salihu Muktar, the northern advocacy group described the expenditure as “morally indefensible” and questioned the continued presence of Engr. Ahmed in public office, especially in a nation battling widespread economic hardship and public mistrust in government institutions.

 

“President Bola Tinubu must now answer a pressing moral question — what makes Farouk Ahmed different from Betta Edu or Babachir Lawal?” Muktar asked, referencing former government officials who were removed from office over integrity-related issues. “We expect the same standards to apply across board.”

 

According to the group, verified investigative reports revealed that Ahmed’s children attended some of the most elite and expensive private secondary schools in Europe — including Montreux Secondary School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and La Garenne International School — before one of them was later transferred to NIIT Pune in India. AYFET estimated the combined tuition and maintenance costs at approximately $5.5 million — an amount the group says cannot be justified by a career civil servant with no known private business or inheritance.

 

“Farouk Ahmed didn’t deny the schools, and he has provided no verifiable explanation as to how he funded such extravagant education for his children. This silence only deepens public suspicion,” Muktar added.

 

The group further argued that retaining Ahmed in office would seriously damage the federal government’s anti-corruption posture and questioned how such financial excess could be ignored at a time when millions of children across northern Nigeria lack access to basic education.

 

“At a time when children in our communities can’t afford school uniforms or even a decent classroom, a public official is spending $200,000 per child each year in Swiss boarding schools. If this isn’t abuse of office, then what is?” Muktar stated.

 

AYFET called on President Tinubu to immediately suspend the NMDPRA CEO and allow for a full investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

 

“We’re not calling for persecution. We’re calling for process—fair, open, and transparent. If Engr. Ahmed is innocent, then he should have no fear of investigation. But if not, then justice must take its course,” the statement concluded.

 

The group warned that silence in the face of such serious allegations would signal a dangerous double standard and urged the federal government not to ignore the growing public outrage.

 

 

As of the time of filing this report, Engr. Farouk Ahmed has not publicly responded to the allegations. The Presidency is also yet to issue an official statement.