NIGERIA: Court Upholds Arrest Warrant Against Ex-Minister Sadiya Farouq

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, on Monday dismissed an application filed by former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside the bench warrant and warrant of arrest issued against her.

Farouq, alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed, is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.

Ruling on the application, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the former minister had willfully failed to appear before the court without a valid reason, noting that the law empowers the court to issue a bench warrant in such circumstances.

“The defendant who is fully aware that this is a criminal proceeding has willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason,” the judge said, adding that the medical report presented did not justify her absence from proceedings in Nigeria.

He further stated that Farouq appeared to be “raising bogus excuses,” stressing that criminal proceedings require strict compliance with due process. “By all legal considerations, I am of the opinion that there is no merit in this application,” the ruling reads.

Reacting to the decision, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to enforce an undertaking allegedly made by defence counsel, A.A. Ibrahim (SAN), to produce the defendant in court. He noted that the period covered by the medical report had expired on June 9, 2026.

However, A.M. Lawal, who represented Ibrahim in court, requested that the senior advocate be allowed to personally respond to the issue of the undertaking. The court granted the request.

Justice Onwuegbuzie subsequently adjourned the matter until July 2, 2026, for the arraignment of the defendants.