Court issues arrest warrant for Sadiya Umar Farouq and Bashir Alkali...

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, has issued a warrant of arrest against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali.

CBI News reports that the order was made on Thursday, April 16, 2026, after both defendants failed to appear in court for their arraignment.

Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the trio on a 21-count charge bordering on breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contracts, and the alleged conversion of public funds amounting to $1,300,000 and ₦746,574,303.

They are accused of diverting the funds, which were meant for official purposes, for personal use.

Part of the charge states that Farouq and Alkali, while serving in their official capacities between May 8, 2021, and September 22, 2022, were entrusted with $1.3 million meant to be refunded to the ministry by Visual ICT Limited.

The funds, linked to payments under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), were allegedly converted for personal benefit, an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that although the charges were filed on December 15, 2025, the first and second defendants could not initially be served.

“We could not arraign them on 15 December, because we could not produce them, but their lawyers in court promised that they would produce the defendants… The defendants have now been served, my lord, only the third defendant has reported to the Commission when his surety was contacted,” he said.

Jacobs further informed the court that Farouq had earlier written to the EFCC, stating she was travelling to Saudi Arabia for a medical check-up in 2024, after which her passport was released to her.

However, he noted that she had not returned the passport or provided any medical report.

“My lord, since that passport was released to her, she has not returned the passport to the Commission. We do not have the medical report… all the medical reports… were issued after the charge had been filed,” he added.

Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim (SAN), attributed her absence to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit of facts, but the court rejected the application.

Jacobs also informed the court of an amended ex parte motion seeking to restrict proceedings to the first and second defendants and urged the court to issue a bench warrant for their arrest.

“We are praying your lordship to order or issue a warrant of arrest… It is imperative… to permit the Commission to arrest the first and second defendants so that they can be compelled to appear before the court,” he said.

In response, the defence requested six weeks to produce the first defendant in court.

However, in his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the EFCC’s application and issued a warrant of arrest against Farouq and Alkali.

The case was adjourned to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and trial.