The Arewa Youths Forum for Equity and Transparency (AYFET) has declared that it is no longer morally defensible for Engr. Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to remain in public office following revelations that he spent over $5.5 million on the foreign education of his children.
In a strongly worded statement released in Kaduna on Thursday, the group, led by its President, Comrade Aminu Salihu Muktar, said the sheer scale of unexplained expenditure by a public servant raised serious red flags and undermined the integrity of public service in Nigeria.
“President Tinubu must now confront a familiar moral question — what makes Ahmed Farouq any different from Betta Edu or Babachir Lawal.
“Both were removed from office for actions that cast doubt on their integrity. We expect the same standards to apply across the board,” Muktar said.
The northern group cited verified documents and investigative reports showing that Ahmed’s children attended some of the most expensive secondary schools in Europe, including Montreux Secondary School, Aiglon College, Institut Le Rosey, and La Garenne International School, with one later transferred to NIIT Pune in India.
It noted that the cumulative tuition and upkeep for the four children amounts to approximately $5.5 million, a sum far beyond the lifetime earnings of a civil servant.
Muktar said Farouq Ahmed’s failure to offer a transparent explanation has only deepened public suspicion.
“Farouk Ahmed didn’t deny the schools his children attended. He didn’t show any proof of personal business, inheritance, or lawful income.
“In fact, he has never worked outside government. So Nigerians are right to ask: where did the $5.5 million come from?” the group queried.
According to the group, it would be deeply irresponsible for the Tinubu administration to ignore such glaring financial inconsistencies, especially in a time of deepening public distrust and economic hardship.
“At a time when millions of children in northern Nigeria can’t afford school uniforms or even access to basic education, a public officer spends $200,000 per child per year on Swiss boarding schools. If this isn’t a textbook case of abuse of office, what is?” Muktar said.
The Forum warned that by retaining Farouq Ahmed in office, the federal government risks undermining its own anti-corruption record and eroding public confidence in reforms across the petroleum sector.
“President Tinubu showed resolve in the cases of Betta Edu who was removed when it became clear that her continued presence in government would cast a shadow over the administration’s moral authority.
T“he same logic must apply here. The facts are public, the outrage is real, and silence is no longer an option,” Muktar declared.
The group said it was not swayed by Farouq’s official title or length of service, insisting that public service must be subject to public scrutiny.
The group concluded by calling on the President to immediately suspend Engr. Ahmed pending an impartial investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau.
“We’re not demanding punishment without process. We’re demanding process—open, transparent, and impartial. That is what justice looks like. If he is innocent, the evidence will clear him. But if not, then justice must take its course,” Muktar declared.
