Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against Ex-Humanitarian Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq Over Alleged $1.3m, N746.6m Fraud
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday, April 16, 2026, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and the ministry’s former Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali.
The duo failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and conversion of public funds.
Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court on Thursday.
The EFCC accused Farouq, Alkali, and Mohammed of misappropriating $1.3 million (about N746.57 million) meant for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
In the lead count, the anti-graft agency alleged that between May 8, 2021, and September 22, 2022, the former minister and the permanent secretary, while in positions of trust, fraudulently converted the sum of $1,300,000 which was excess funds paid to Visual ICT Limited and supposed to be refunded to the ministry.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that the charge was filed on December 15, 2025, but the first and second defendants could not be produced for arraignment despite assurances from their lawyers. He said the defendants were eventually served with the charge but still failed to appear.
Jacobs disclosed that Farouq had earlier been granted permission to travel to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment in 2024, with her passport released to her. However, she has neither returned the passport nor submitted the medical report as required.
The senior advocate noted that medical reports attached to an affidavit of fact filed on her behalf on Thursday were issued after the charge had been filed.
Counsel to Farouq, Abdul Ibrahim, SAN, pleaded that her absence was due to ill health and sought to tender the affidavit, but Justice Onwuegbuzie rejected the application.
Jacobs then prayed the court to issue a warrant of arrest for Farouq and Alkali, citing an affidavit by one Celeb Peter which showed that the defendants were granted bail but failed to report back to the EFCC.
In response, the defence counsel prayed for six weeks to produce the former minister in court.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s application and issued a warrant of arrest against Sadiya Umar Farouq and Bashir Nura Alkali.
The judge adjourned the matter to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and trial.
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