A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered 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 their failure to appear in court for arraignment on alleged fraud charges.
The order was issued on Thursday by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie after both defendants failed to attend proceedings. According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court.
The EFCC is prosecuting the trio on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards, and the alleged diversion of public funds totaling about $1.3 million and ₦746.6 million.
In the charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that Umar-Farouq and Alkali violated provisions of the Penal Code by unlawfully converting $1.3 million belonging to the ministry for personal use. The funds were reportedly meant to be refunded by a private firm following excess payments made under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) programme.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that the charges were filed as far back as December 15, 2025, but the two defendants could not be produced in court despite assurances from their legal representatives. He added that although they were eventually served, they still failed to appear for arraignment.
Jacobs further informed the court that Umar-Farouq had earlier requested the release of her passport to travel to Saudi Arabia on medical grounds in 2024 but neither returned the passport nor provided any medical report to justify the trip. He noted that the medical documents recently presented by her legal team were issued only after the charges had already been filed.
Counsel to Umar-Farouq, Abdul Ibrahim, argued that his client’s absence was due to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit to that effect. However, the court declined the application.
Following submissions from the prosecution, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s request and issued a warrant for the arrest of both Umar-Farouq and Alkali.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by anti-corruption authorities to prosecute alleged financial misconduct involving public officials, particularly in programmes tied to social intervention and public welfare funding.
