By Jane Okeke
Arewa youths have rallied behind the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, amid calls for his removal.
The Arewa Youth Assembly denounced a press release by the Coalition of Northern Youths Organization calling for Ahmed’s sack as a smear campaign and blackmail attempt.
The Assembly described the Coalition as a faceless group of desperate, disgruntled, professional scammers impersonating Northern Youths.
Ahmed, a versatile individual with over three decades of experience, has excelled in his duties, introducing regulations to aid the oil and gas sector, including environmental and safety measures.
The Assembly praised Ahmed’s leadership, saying he has brought progress, development, and stability to the sector, and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard the call for his removal.
The group also called on security agencies to bring the Coalition to justice for impersonation and blackmail.
This development comes as Ahmed continues to implement reforms in the oil and gas sector, aimed at generating more revenue for the country’s development.
Danlami said, “This so-called organization is a faceless group that has not been featured anywhere before now. It is nothing but a conglomeration of desperate, disgruntled, professional scammers who have organized themselves and dedicated their time to the business of fabricating and concocting lies to blackmail hardworking public office holders who are tirelessly committed to serving Nigeria.
“Their press release lacks truth and substance, marked by numerous errors and misconceptions, and carries no message but that of a smear campaign, slander, and character assassination against one of the best minds in Nigeria, Engineer Farouk Ahmed. We vehemently resist the shameful and unpatriotic actions of this faceless group impersonating Northern Youths. They are not true Northerners but criminals who are chaos-thirsty and out to cause a nuisance.
“We are in total disagreement with their lies and therefore distance ourselves from them and strongly condemn their ill-intended actions. Engineer Farouk Ahmed is a versatile individual, highly skilled, well-trained, and a professional engineer with over three decades of experience.
“It is clear that Engineer Farouk Ahmed has only brought progress, development, and stability to the entire oil and gas sector. Therefore, we reiterate our stance of fighting mercilessly against the falsehoods, fraud, and fabrications propagated by these criminals. Their allegations are unfounded, flawed, without any evidence, and nowhere close to the truth.
“We admonish President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard the call to sack the Chief Executive Officer, as it lacks basis and substance. We also call on security agencies to bring these criminals to justice for impersonating the Northern Youths and attempting to blackmail the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).”
