The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the bench warrant issued on April 16, 2026, would remain in force after the former minister failed to appear in court for her arraignment alongside two co-defendants, Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the trio over allegations bordering on the unlawful diversion of public funds during Farouq’s tenure as minister.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, reminded the court that the warrant issued during the previous sitting prompted the second defendant to surrender himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court’s directive.
“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 said.
The senior advocate urged the court to sustain the warrant against the former minister, insisting that her legal team had previously undertaken to produce her in court.
“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. I will urge your lordship to ensure that the undertaking is enforced by counsel to produce his client instead of asking the court to discharge the order,” he added.
Counsel to Farouq, Oladipo Okpesheyi, SAN, however told the court that his client was currently in Egypt receiving medical treatment and was unfit to attend proceedings.
“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 that she is in the hospital on doctor’s advice in Egypt. She will need about two months to recover before she can come,” Okpesheyi said while seeking an adjournment.
Justice Onwuegbuzie expressed displeasure over what he described as repeated attempts to frustrate and delay the trial, warning that the court would not tolerate unnecessary adjournments.
“At the last adjournment, M.S. Ibrahim promised the court to produce the first defendant. It will be impossible to grant another adjournment. I will not tolerate unnecessary adjournment in my court,” the judge said.
“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 ruled that the arrest warrant against the former minister remains active and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.
