An Abuja High Court has issued a warrant of arrest against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, after she failed to appear in court for her scheduled arraignment on fraud-related charges.
The order was issued on Thursday by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court following the absence of the former minister and a co-defendant, Bashir Nura Alkali, a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry. Only a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present when the matter was called.
According to proceedings and statements from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the defendants were expected to take their plea on a 21-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and conversion of public funds.
The charges relate to an alleged diversion of approximately $1.3 million and N746.6 million in public funds during Farouq’s tenure as minister. Prosecutors claim the funds were linked to social investment programmes under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and were allegedly mismanaged through transactions involving a contractor and ministry accounts.
Court records indicate that the charge was filed in December 2025, but the defendants were reportedly not successfully served ahead of the scheduled arraignment. Their failure to appear prompted the prosecution counsel to request a warrant of arrest to ensure their attendance at the next sitting.
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Granting the request, the trial judge ordered security agencies to arrest the former minister and the co-defendant and produce them before the court to answer to the charges.
The case adds to growing legal scrutiny around the management of social intervention funds during the previous administration, with investigators focusing on alleged irregularities in contract awards and fund disbursement within the ministry.
The matter has been adjourned to a later date for arraignment, pending the execution of the arrest warrant and appearance of the defendants.
