Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, suffered a setback on Monday after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, dismissed her application seeking to set aside a bench warrant earlier issued for her arrest.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the former minister
failed to appear before the court without a valid reason, holding that the law
empowers the court to issue a warrant when a defendant deliberately absents
herself from criminal proceedings.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is
prosecuting Umar-Farouq alongside Bashir Alkali and Sani Mohammed on charges
bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds
amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
Delivering his ruling, the judge rejected the reasons
advanced for Umar-Farouq’s absence, describing them as insufficient. “The
defendant, who is fully aware that this is a criminal proceeding has willfully
failed to appear in court without a valid reason and the law empowers the court
when it has been ascertained that the defendant is absent from court without a
valid reason to issue a bench warrant of arrest.
“There is nothing in the exhibit explaining why the
defendant who has mere arthritis and heart disease cannot appear before the
court. Is it that there are no medical facilities in Nigeria? I am convinced
that the 1st defendant is trying to hide behind her fingers by raising bogus
excuses.
“It is important that the applicant be reminded that this is
a criminal matter and not a civil one and there is an approach to its
proceedings. By all legal considerations, I am of the opinion that there is no
merit in this application. I so hold.”
Following the ruling, EFCC counsel and Senior Advocate of
Nigeria (SAN), Rotimi Jacobs, urged the court to enforce an earlier undertaking
allegedly made by Umar-Farouq’s lead counsel, A.A. Ibrahim (SAN), to produce
his client before the court. “My lordship, for a senior counsel to make an
undertaking which is reflected in your lordship’s ruling, we crave your
lordship to give effect to that undertaking by A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, to produce
the defendant.
“If you look at the so-called medical report attached, it is
only asking for the period of six and eight weeks within which the defendant
will be arrested and that the eight weeks had expired on June 9, 2026. I plead
with your lordship that the court should not take the undertaking for granted.
On our part, we have decided to give effect to the arrest of the first
defendant. We also ask the counsel to the first defendant to cooperate and
produce his client on the next adjournment to avoid a coercive power.”
Responding, A.M. Lawal, who appeared for Ibrahim, asked the
court to allow the senior lawyer personally address the issue of the alleged
undertaking.
Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the request and said Ibrahim
should be given the opportunity to appear before the court and respond. The
application stemmed from a bench warrant issued against Umar-Farouq on April 16
after she failed to appear for her scheduled arraignment. Following her
absence, the EFCC declared the former minister wanted over the alleged
offences.
At previous proceedings, her lawyers told the court she was
in Egypt receiving medical treatment and was medically unfit to attend trial.
They subsequently applied to have the arrest warrant vacated, arguing that her
absence was due to health challenges.
The EFCC opposed the application, insisting that the former
minister must first submit herself to the jurisdiction of the court before
seeking any relief. The anti-graft agency also urged the court to reject the
medical reports tendered by the defence and prevent further delays in the
criminal proceedings. The case was adjourned until July 2 for the arraignment
of the defendants.
According to the EFCC, Umar-Farouq, who served under former
President Muhammadu Buhari, and her co-defendants are facing 21 charges of
breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts and conversion
of public funds involving $1.3 million and N746,574,303.
The commission alleged that the $1.3 million represented
excess funds paid under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office
(NASSCO) programme for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries.
The funds were allegedly meant to be refunded by contractor Social Development
by Visual ICT Limited, but prosecutors claim Umar-Farouq and Alkali, then
permanent secretary of the ministry, converted the money for personal benefit.
The EFCC said the alleged offences were committed between
May 2021 and September 2022 while Umar-Farouq was serving as minister.
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