A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday issued a warrant for the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq.
On April 16, 2026, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for the arrest of Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reason for Warrant: The order was issued by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie after the former minister failed to appear in court for her scheduled arraignment.
Others Affected: The court also ordered the arrest of Bashir Nura Alkali, a former Permanent Secretary in the same ministry, for the same reason.
The Charges: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has preferred a 21-count charge against them. The allegations include:
Criminal breach of trust.
Abuse of office.
Fraudulent award of contracts.
Conversion of public funds totaling approximately $1.3 million and N746.5 million.
Background and Context
The EFCC has been investigating financial misappropriation within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs during Umar-Farouq’s tenure. Prior reports have also linked investigations to the alleged laundering of N37.1 billion through a contractor, James Okwete. While a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court, the absence of the primary defendants led to the issuance of the bench warrant to compel their appearance.
Additionally, recent legal developments on April 15, 2026, showed that the federal government dropped terrorism financing charges against another former Buhari minister, Abubakar Malami (former Justice Minister), who now faces a revised charge related solely to illegal possession of firearms
