Court Sustains Arrest Warrant Against Ex-Minister Sadiya Farouq Over Alleged Fraud
The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting 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 over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment, but noted that the first defendant, Farouq, was absent without explanation.
“My lord, we were here on April 16, 2026, when your lordship granted us a bench warrant to arrest the first defendant. It was because of that the second defendant immediately approached the commission and surrendered himself in obedience to your lordship’s order,” Jacobs told the court.
The prosecutor urged the court to vacate the warrant issued against the second defendant while maintaining the order against the former minister.
Jacobs also reminded the court that Farouq’s counsel, Oladipo Okpesheyi, had earlier requested one month to produce his client for arraignment.
“My expectation this morning will be for my colleague to say that his 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, adding that he received a medical report indicating she would require about two months to recover.
Justice Onwuegbuzie, however, expressed displeasure over what he described as repeated attempts to delay the proceedings.
“At the last adjournment, M.S. Ibrahim promised the court to produce the first defendant. It will be impossible to grant another adjournment,” the judge said.
“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,” he added.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment while sustaining the arrest warrant against the former minister.
Court Sustains Arrest Warrant Against Ex-Minister Sadiya Farouq Over Alleged Fraud