Sadiya Umar Farouq: Here’s why court wants Buhari’s humanitarian minister arrested
Former humanitarian minister Sadiya Umar Farouq and a senior ministry official have been issued arrest warrants after failing to appear for arraignment.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo on Thursday ordered the arrest of the ex‑Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and the ministry’s permanent secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The commission is prosecuting them on a 21‑count indictment alleging criminal breach of trust, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
The EFCC says about $1.3 million and more than ₦746 million (roughly ₦2.49 billion) were misappropriated during their time in office.
At the hearing the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present, but Farouq and Alkali were absent.
Prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs told the court that all defendants had been properly served with court papers but wilfully failed to attend, despite knowing the arraignment date.
He added that Farouq had earlier been permitted to travel abroad on medical grounds but had not returned her passport or provided any medical report to the EFCC.
Counsel for Farouq, Abdul Ibrahim, said her absence was due to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit to that effect; the court refused to admit it.
The defence asked for a six‑week adjournment to allow the defendants to appear, but the prosecution opposed the request and urged enforcement action, saying the defendants had repeatedly ignored summonses and bail conditions.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s application and issued bench warrants for the arrest of Farouq and Alkali.
The matter was adjourned to 18 May 2026 for arraignment and continuation of the trial.
Farouq served as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under President Muhammadu Buhari (now deceased) from August 2019 until May 2023.
