A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, over alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.6 million.
The order was granted on Thursday by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie following the failure of both defendants to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment.
The duo is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, who was present in court.
Charges and Allegations
The EFCC has filed a 20-count charge against the defendants, bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards, and diversion of public funds.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences involve an aggregate sum of $1.3 million and N746,574,303, said to have been misappropriated between May 2021 and September 2022.
In one of the counts, the anti-graft agency alleged that Farouq and Alkali, while serving in their official capacities, fraudulently converted $1.3 million meant to be refunded to the ministry by a contractor, Visual ICT Limited. The funds were reportedly excess payments under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) programme.
Court Proceedings
At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that although the charge was filed on December 15, 2025, the first and second defendants had failed to present themselves for arraignment despite being served.
He further informed the court that the former minister had earlier obtained permission to travel to Saudi Arabia in 2024 for medical treatment but had yet to return her passport to the commission.
Jacobs also questioned the authenticity and timing of medical documents presented by the defence, noting that they were issued after the charges had already been filed.
Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim, attributed his client’s absence to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit to that effect. However, the court declined to admit the application.
The prosecution subsequently applied for a bench warrant, arguing that the defendants, who were previously granted administrative bail, had failed to honour the conditions by not appearing in court.
Court Ruling
In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the application and ordered the arrest of the two absent defendants to compel their appearance.
The court adjourned the matter until May 18, 2026, for arraignment and commencement of trial.
The development marks a significant step in the EFCC’s prosecution of alleged financial misconduct within the humanitarian ministry, a sector that has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over the management of social intervention funds.
