A powerful coalition of civil society organizations has declared joint nationwide protests across Nigeria, with simultaneous demonstrations in New York and London, to demand the immediate removal of Farouk Ahmed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The protests will commence on Wednesday from Ahmed’s office in Abuja and continue throughout the week in major cities, while diaspora actions target the UN House in New York and Nigeria House in London.

The coalition includes the Nigerian Citizens for Transparency (NCT), Anti-Corruption Alliance of Nigeria (ACAN), Sokoto Welfare Foundation (SWF), Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ), African Refiners Network (ARN), Lagos Civil Rights Movement (LCRM), Global Nigerians Diaspora Forum (GNDF), Nigerian Integrity Watch (NIW), Petroleum Workers Union of Nigeria (PWUN), Youth Empowerment Initiative (YEI), Economic Sabotage Watch Group (ESWG), International Coalition Against Corruption (ICAC) and Diaspora Advocacy Network (DAN).

Others are British-Nigerian Solidarity Forum (BNSF), Anti-Graft Campaign UK (AGCU), Human Rights Defenders League (HRDL), Sustainable Energy Alliance (SEA), and National Anti-Corruption Front (NACF).

“Nigerians are deeply shocked and outraged that a public official entrusted with regulating a critical national resource has allegedly squandered millions of dollars sending just three of his children to exclusive secondary schools in Switzerland, while millions of suffering citizens in his home state of Sokoto and across the country cannot afford basic school fees,” a statement by Comrade Dan Danilson on behalf of the groups said.

“These allegations expose a glaring betrayal of public trust and highlight unacceptable extravagance at the direct expense of impoverished communities in Nigeria and beyond.”

Danilson condemned Ahmed’s conduct in the strongest terms and vowed unrelenting pressure until he is removed and fully investigated.

Dan Danilson stated:
“The lavish lifestyle of Farouk Ahmed, funded by questionable wealth while he occupies one of the most sensitive positions in Nigeria’s economy, is an intolerable insult to every struggling Nigerian.

“Spending millions on foreign luxury education for his children while Sokoto parents beg to pay N10,000 school fees reveals a man utterly detached from the suffering he is supposed to help alleviate.

“These are not mere allegations—they point to deep corruption and conflict of interest that have directly sabotaged Nigeria’s push for energy independence. By protecting fuel importers and undermining local refineries, Ahmed has chosen personal gain over national progress, condemning millions to continued poverty and fuel scarcity.

“We will not stand by as one man hands over Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector to vested foreign interests. His actions amount to economic treason, enriching himself and his allies while driving domestic investments to ruin and keeping petrol prices artificially high for the suffering masses.

“The protests starting Wednesday from his very office will send an unmistakable message: Farouk Ahmed must go now. No investigation can restore the trust he has shattered; only his immediate removal will begin to heal the damage he has inflicted on our nation.

“We call on all Nigerians—home and abroad—to join this historic stand against corruption. This is our moment to hit back hard against those who plunder our future for private luxury. Farouk Ahmed’s time is up.”

The coalition emphasized that the allegations against Ahmed are far too grave to be dismissed or covered up, warning that failure to act decisively would signal official tolerance of corruption in critical sectors.

Five civil society activists and media operatives on have openly confessed to being part of a N500 million coordinated blackmail campaign against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and tendered an unreserved public apology to him.

The activists, led by Comrade Aryan Abdul Kareem, made the shocking revelation at a press conference in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

Speaking on behalf of Comrade Olumu Lucky, Comrade Olukayode Williams, Comrade John Osumbor Mark, and Engineer Bashir Muhammad, Kareem disclosed that the entire operation was sponsored and supervised by the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal Dare through his Spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris.

According to the group, Sulaiman Bala Idris personally convened several secret meetings where they were briefed, handed instructions, and provided with funds.

The campaign, they said, cost “above five hundred million naira” and involved recruiting social media influencers, bloggers, political commentators, conventional media houses, and prominent Zamfara politicians including Senator Kabiru Marafa and Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.

“We were part of that machinery. We accepted money and roles to circulate damaging and false narratives against Dr. Bello Matawalle even though we knew they were lies. We chose financial inducement over conscience,” Kareem admitted.

The activists said their actions caused “serious emotional pain, reputational damage and distress” to the Minister, his family, and supporters, adding that after deep reflection, they decided to come clean.

“Today, we tender our unreserved apology to His Excellency, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and to every Nigerian who was misled by the falsehood we helped spread. We beg for his forgiveness and the forgiveness of the public. This apology is born out of genuine remorse,” the statement read.

The group further declared readiness to face any legal or moral consequences, stating that they possess “documentary evidence” of every transaction and meeting, including with Governor Lawal’s Spokesperson.

“We are ready to submit all the evidence and cooperate fully with the EFCC, DSS, police or any competent authority that wishes to investigate this matter,” they affirmed.

While urging other participants in the alleged plot to also confess, the activists said their decision was aimed at cleansing their conscience and helping to enthrone truth and accountability in Nigerian politics.

Nigeria’s security agencies have reportedly uncovered a plan by some opposition politicians to organise protests in Sokoto and other northern states against President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Fresh intelligence reports made available to journalists on Friday show that former Senator Kabiru Marafa is the main arrowhead of the plot.

The group is allegedly working to discredit NSA Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, by falsely linking them to bandit groups and using a Sokoto-based militia to trigger violent protests.

Sources say the Zamfara State Government, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, is strongly backing the plan and providing funding, determined to paint the federal security team as incompetent and force the removal of both Ribadu and Matawalle.

Security operatives detected the scheme this week, monitored several planning meetings in Gusau and Abuja, blocked funding channels, and quietly disrupted the operation.

No arrests have been made, but all the key figures are now under close surveillance.

The key figures are now being monitored by security agencies to track their key sources of funding.