A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Farouq over her failure to appear for arraignment in a fraud case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court also ordered the arrest of the Permanent Secretary in the ministry Bashir Alkali.
The EFCC is prosecuting Farouq, Alkali and another defendant Sani Mohammed, on a 21-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
At the hearing, prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs told the court that the defendants had been served with charges and granted administrative bail, but failed to appear for arraignment.
Jacobs said earlier attempts to arraign them on 15 December 2025 failed due to their absence, adding that only the third defendant was present in court on Thursday.
He also told the court that Farouq had travelled abroad on medical grounds and had not returned her international passport, despite not presenting a medical report to justify her absence.
Counsel to the defendants Abdul Ibrahim told the court that Farouq was absent due to ill health and asked for time to produce her in court.
The trial judge Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie rejected the request and granted the prosecution’s application for a bench warrant.
“The application of the prosecution is hereby granted,” the judge said.
The court ordered security agencies to arrest the defendants and produce them for arraignment.
The matter was adjourned to May 18.
Sadiya Farouq served as minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
