A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has issued a warrant of arrest against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, over her failure to appear for arraignment in an alleged fraud case.
The trial judge, Jude Onwuegbuzie, granted the order following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the ex-minister and a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, failed to attend court proceedings.
The defendants are facing a 21-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and ₦746.6 million. According to the prosecution, the funds were allegedly mismanaged and diverted while Farouq oversaw key social intervention programmes, including the National Social Investment Programme. EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that although the charges were filed in December 2025, efforts to secure the defendants’ appearance had been unsuccessful.
He noted that their legal representatives had assured the court of their presence but failed to produce them. He further disclosed that the former minister had travelled abroad for medical treatment after her passport was released but had neither returned the document nor submitted a valid medical report to justify her continued absence. In response, defence counsel, Abdul Ibrahim, attributed Farouq’s absence to ill health.
However, the court rejected the explanation and granted the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant. One of the allegations states that the defendants converted $1.3 million meant to be refunded to the ministry by a contractor, describing it as excess payment under a government programme for validating beneficiaries. Justice Onwuegbuzie subsequently adjourned the case to May 18, 2026, for arraignment.
