Forum Alleges Elite Impunity At Petroleum Authority

A civil society group, the Young Professionals Forum, has accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of fostering elite impunity under the leadership of its chief executive officer, Engr. Farouk Ahmed.

The group made the accusation during a peaceful demonstration in Abuja on Monday, demanding Ahmed’s immediate resignation over alleged misconduct and abuse of office.

Speaking to journalists, the forum’s co-coordinator, Felicia E. Daniel, said the NMDPRA under Ahmed’s watch had become a symbol of unaccountability and failed leadership.

“You may still have the title, but you have lost the moral mandate,” she declared. If you believe in integrity, you should resign today. If you believe in justice, you should submit to investigation.”

The forum warned that failure to act would legitimise corruption in public institutions, vowing not to remain silent as what it described as elite impunity erodes public trust.

It further urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend Ahmed immediately and initiate a thorough investigation involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The group also demanded the scrutiny of all financial records linked to Ahmed and his family, including bank statements, tuition payments, and foreign property holdings.

“We will not allow the NMDPRA to become a safe haven for corrupt elites,” Daniel said.

“If the government refuses to act, we will escalate this protest to every gate of every institution that turns a blind eye.”

In addition, the forum called on the minister of state for petroleum resources, the National Assembly, and anti-graft agencies to act swiftly or risk being seen as complicit in the alleged wrongdoing.