Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Thursday issued a warrant of arrest against a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, over alleged fraud.
The court’s decision followed the failure of both defendants to appear for their scheduled arraignment. Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign the trio on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards and alleged diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and ₦746.57 million.
According to the charge, Farouq and Alkali, while serving in their respective capacities between May 2021 and September 2022, were entrusted with $1.3 million meant to be refunded to the ministry by a contractor, Visual ICT Limited, under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
The prosecution alleged that the funds, described as excess payments, were instead converted for personal use, an act said to contravene provisions of the Penal Code.
At the hearing, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the charge had been filed since December 15, 2025, but the commission had been unable to produce the first and second defendants.
He said although their lawyers had earlier undertaken to present them, they failed to do so, necessitating further steps by the commission to ensure service of the charge.
Jacobs further informed the court that the first defendant had earlier requested the release of her passport in 2024 on health grounds to travel to Saudi Arabia, but had yet to return the document or provide any medical report to justify the trip.
He also questioned the authenticity of medical documents recently submitted by her counsel, noting that they were issued after the charges had already been filed.
Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim (SAN), attributed her absence to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit to that effect, but the court declined the application.
The prosecution subsequently applied for a bench warrant against the first and second defendants, arguing that despite being granted administrative bail and duly served with the charge, they had failed to appear in court.
Defence counsel, however, appealed for time to produce the first defendant, requesting a six-week window.
Ruling on the applications, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s request and issued a warrant of arrest against Farouq and Alkali.
The case was adjourned until May 18, 2026, for arraignment and further proceedings.
