By Harriet Tornguvan
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, over an alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.6 million.
The order was granted on Thursday by Jude Onwuegbuzie of the FCT High Court following the failure of the two defendants to appear for their scheduled arraignment.
The duo, alongside a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, are to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and diversion of public funds.
While Mohammed was present in court, Farouq and Alkali were absent, prompting the prosecution to request their arrest.
Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that although the charges had been filed since December 15, 2025, the first and second defendants had evaded service and failed to appear despite assurances from their legal representatives.
Jacobs further informed the court that Farouq had earlier obtained permission to travel to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment in 2024 but had yet to return her passport or provide any medical report to the Commission. He added that documents recently presented by her legal team were dated after the charges had already been filed.
In response, counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim, SAN, attributed her absence to ill health and sought the court’s permission to submit an affidavit explaining the situation. However, the court declined the application.
The prosecution also requested an amendment to an earlier ex-parte motion and urged the court to issue a bench warrant, arguing that both defendants had been granted administrative bail but failed to honour the conditions.
The defence, however, appealed for additional time, seeking six weeks to produce the former minister in court.
Delivering his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the prosecution’s request and ordered the arrest of the two absent defendants to compel their appearance before the court.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and commencement of trial.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly diverted funds meant to be refunded to the ministry by a contractor under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), in violation of the Penal Code.
