Protesters Demand Probe of NMDPRA Boss Over Alleged Refinery Sabotage

Protesters Demand Probe of NMDPRA Boss Over Alleged Refinery Sabotage

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Concerned Nigerians, under the umbrella of civil society organisations and anti-graft advocates, have announced plans to stage a peaceful nationwide protest on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, demanding the removal and investigation of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, over allegations of corruption and actions said to be undermining Nigeria’s local refining capacity.

The coordinated rally, scheduled to hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and other major cities, will see protesters converge on the National Assembly and the NMDPRA headquarters, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in line with his administration’s avowed zero-tolerance stance on corruption.

Organisers said the protest is themed “End the Sabotage: Probe and Sack Farouk, Protect Our Refineries.”

According to the organisers, the planned action follows what they described as independent findings pointing to alleged regulatory malpractice and economic sabotage within the downstream petroleum sector.

They cited public comments attributed to Africa’s leading industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as reinforcing concerns over the lifestyle and conduct of the NMDPRA chief.

Dangote was quoted as making the remarks during a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Ibeju-Lekki, on Sunday, December 14, 2025.

“I don’t know why the authority chief executive, Mallam Farouk, has four of his children that he educated in Switzerland at the cost of $5 million for their secondary school education alone, not university,” Dangote was quoted as saying.

The protesters argued that such comments raise broader questions about accountability and leadership at the NMDPRA, alleging that regulatory decisions under Ahmed’s watch have favoured fuel importation over local refining.

They claimed that the approval of large volumes of fuel import licences, despite increasing domestic refining capacity, has discouraged local investors and prolonged Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Convener of the Citizens Against Corruption Coalition (CACC), Dr. Kenneth Emea, said the protest was aimed at defending the national interest and protecting strategic investments in the energy sector.

He called on President Tinubu to act decisively to uphold public confidence in the regulatory system.

“President Tinubu, the champion of renewal, must act decisively. Farouk Ahmed’s alleged extravagance; $5 million on Swiss schools while families in Sokoto, his home state, struggle to afford N100,000 in school fees is an affront to every hardworking Nigerian,” Emea said. “We demand his immediate suspension, a full investigation by the CCB and EFCC, and deep reforms to free the NMDPRA from vested interests. Our refineries are our future.”

Also speaking, Engr. Ibrahim Husseini, who said he represents refinery workers and youth groups, described the rally as a platform for ordinary Nigerians grappling with high fuel costs and limited opportunities in the energy sector.

“This rally is for the voiceless; the pump attendants paying through the nose for fuel, the farmers whose costs rise with every import scam, and the youth denied jobs in a sabotaged industry,” Husseini said. “President Tinubu’s anti-corruption war must reach the downstream sector. Sack Farouk today; probe him tomorrow. Nigeria first!”

Organisers disclosed that the Abuja leg of the protest would commence at 10:00 a.m. with a peaceful march from Unity Fountain to the National Assembly, where petitions would be submitted to the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives, calling for immediate legislative oversight.

A simultaneous protest is expected to hold in Lagos at the NMDPRA headquarters in Ikoyi.
Participants have been advised to dress in white as a symbol of transparency and justice, while security agencies have been formally notified to ensure a peaceful demonstration.

The coalition called on Nigerians from all walks of life, including professionals, traders, students and members of the diaspora, to support the rally, insisting that decisive action was critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s energy future and restoring public trust in the petroleum regulatory framework.