Alleged $1.3m Fraud: Court sustains arrest warrant as Sadiya Farouq fails to appear

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday sustained the arrest warrant issued against Sadiya Umar Farouq, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, over allegations involving the diversion of $1.3 million and N746.7 million in public funds.

Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the bench warrant issued on April 16, 2026, against the former minister would remain in force after she failed to appear before the court for arraignment.

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

At the resumed proceedings, Rotimi Jacobs, prosecution counsel, told the court that the matter was slated for arraignment but noted that the first defendant, Farouq, was absent without any formal explanation before the sitting commenced.

Jacobs recalled that the court had earlier granted a bench warrant against the former minister at the previous sitting, a move he said prompted the second defendant to surrender himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court order.

According to him, the prosecution was seeking the discharge of the bench warrant against the second defendant because he had already submitted himself to the commission, while urging the court to retain the warrant against Farouq.

The senior advocate further reminded the court that Oladipo Okpesheyi, counsel to the former minister, had at the last adjournment appealed for one month to produce his client before the court.

Jacobs said the judge had initially expressed reservations about granting such a lengthy adjournment in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, but eventually agreed following passionate pleas from the defence.

“My expectation this morning was for my learned colleague to present his client before the court as promised, but that was not the case,” Jacobs said.

He urged the court not to vacate the warrant until the undertaking by the defence counsel to produce the defendant had been fulfilled.

Responding, Okpesheyi informed the court that he was only notified the previous night that his client was undergoing medical treatment in Egypt.

According to him, Farouq was currently hospitalised abroad and had been advised by doctors not to travel or appear in court for at least two months.

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

“There is a medical report I received on my phone last night indicating that she is in the hospital on doctor’s advice in Egypt,” he said while pleading for another adjournment.

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

The judge warned that the court would not tolerate unnecessary delays and insisted that the former minister must appear at the next sitting regardless of her condition.

“At the last adjournment, counsel assured the court that the first defendant would be produced. It will be impossible to grant another lengthy adjournment.

“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.

Onwuegbuzie subsequently ruled that the arrest warrant against Farouq remains active and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.