Court sustains Farouq’s arrest warrant over alleged fraud
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Monday, 18 May 2026, sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The judge had issued the warrant on 16 April 2026.
Farouq, alongside two others, Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed, is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
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Nkereuwem Effiong
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Monday, 18 May 2026, sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The judge had issued the warrant on 16 April 2026.
Farouq, alongside two others, Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed, is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment and noted that the first defendant was absent without any explanation.
“My Lord, we were here on 16 April 2026 when Your Lordship granted a bench warrant to arrest the first defendant. It was because of that order that the second defendant immediately approached the Commission and surrendered himself in obedience to Your Lordship’s order. We urge Your Lordship to vacate the bench warrant against the second defendant, while the bench warrant against the first defendant should remain,” he said.
Jacobs further recalled that counsel to the first defendant, Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN, had earlier pleaded with the court to grant him one month to produce his client.
He stated that although the judge had initially declined the request in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, the court eventually granted the adjournment following the defence’s appeal.
“My expectation this morning was that my colleague would produce his client in court as promised, but unfortunately, that was not the case. I urge Your Lordship to enforce the undertaking by counsel to produce his client instead of asking the court to discharge the order. My Lord should not listen to them until the undertaking is fulfilled,” he added.
Responding to the court, Okpeseyi said he was informed the previous night that his client was receiving medical treatment in Egypt and was unfit to appear in court.
“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 hospitalised on her doctor’s advice in Egypt. She will need about two months to recover before she can appear. We humbly seek an adjournment,” he said.
Justice Onwuegbuzie, who frowned at what he described as attempts by the defence to frustrate and delay the trial, warned that the court would take further action if the defendant failed to appear at the next sitting.
“At the last adjournment, M.S. Ibrahim promised the court that the first defendant would be produced. It will be impossible to grant another adjournment. I will not tolerate unnecessary adjournments in my court. I will give you a short adjournment, and you must bring her, even if she is in a wheelchair. If she is not here, the court will do what it needs to do,” the judge said.
According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the court ruled that the arrest warrant against the first defendant remained in force and adjourned the matter until 8 June 2026 for arraignment.
