Alleged $1.3m Fraud: Court Upholds Arrest Warrant Against Ex-Minister Sadiya Farouq

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, has sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, over an alleged $1.3 million and N746.7 million fraud case.

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

The court had on April 16, 2026, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the former minister after she failed to appear for arraignment.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment but noted that Farouq was again absent without any formal explanation.

“My lord, we were here on April 16, 2026, when your lordship granted a bench warrant against the 1st defendant. It was because of that order that the 2nd defendant immediately approached the Commission and surrendered himself in obedience to the court,” Jacobs said.

He urged the court to maintain the arrest warrant against the former minister while lifting the order against the second defendant, who had submitted himself to the court’s authority.

Jacobs further recalled that counsel to the former minister, Oladipo Okpeseyi, had earlier requested one month to produce his client before the court.

“My expectation this morning was for my learned colleague to produce his client as promised. Instead, she is absent again. I urge the court to enforce that undertaking rather than entertain any application to discharge the warrant,” he argued.

In response, counsel to the former minister informed the court that he was only notified late Sunday that his client was receiving medical treatment in Egypt and was medically unfit to attend proceedings.

Justice Onwuegbuzie, however, expressed displeasure over what he described as repeated attempts to frustrate and delay the proceedings.

“At the last adjournment, counsel undertook to produce the first defendant before this court. It will be impossible to grant another lengthy adjournment,” the judge said.

“I will not tolerate unnecessary delays in my court. I will give a short adjournment, and you must produce her, even if she comes in a wheelchair. If she is not here at the next sitting, the court will take necessary action.”

The judge subsequently ruled that the arrest warrant against Farouq remains in force and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.