Court sustains arrest warrant against ex-minister Sadiya Farouq

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, over alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.7 million.

 

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the bench warrant issued against the former minister on April 16, 2026, would remain in force.

 

Farouq is being prosecuted alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges bordering on alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.

 

At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment but the former minister was absent without explanation.

 

Jacobs said the bench warrant earlier issued by the court prompted the second defendant to surrender himself to the commission.

 

He urged the court to vacate the warrant against the second defendant while maintaining the order against Farouq.

 

The prosecutor also reminded the court that Farouq’s counsel, Oladipo Okpesheyi (SAN), had previously requested one month to produce his client.

 

According to Jacobs, despite the court’s reluctance to grant a lengthy adjournment under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the judge accommodated the request.

 

“My expectation this morning will be for my colleague to say that the client he promised to produce is in court today, but alas, he did not do so,” Jacobs said.

 

Responding, Okpesheyi told the court that the former minister was currently in Egypt receiving medical treatment.

 

“My lord, she is in Egypt. I learnt that her doctor said she is not medically fit to appear today,” he said.

 

He added that a medical report sent to him indicated she would require about two months to recover before returning to court.

 

Justice Onwuegbuzie, however, criticised what he described as repeated attempts to delay the trial.

 

“At the last adjournment, M.S. Ibrahim promised the court to produce the first defendant. It will be impossible to grant another adjournment.

 

“I will not tolerate unnecessary adjournment in my court. I will give you a short adjournment, and you will go and bring her, even if she is in a wheelchair. And if she is not here, the court will do what it needs to do,” the judge said.

 

The court subsequently adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.

 

The EFCC had earlier declared the former minister wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.

 

In a notice signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC urged anyone with information about Farouq’s whereabouts to contact its offices nationwide or the nearest police station.