The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has firmly sustained the active bench warrant issued against the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, after she failed to appear for her scheduled criminal arraignment.
The former minister, alongside her co-defendants—the former Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, and an associate, Sani Mohammed—are facing a detailed 21-count criminal charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft agency alleges that the public officials criminally conspired, breached public trust, and abused their offices through the diversion and misappropriation of public funds totaling approximately $1.3 million and ₦746.6 million.
At the resumed judicial hearing on Monday, the lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the session was strictly set for formal arraignment.
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He observed that while the second defendant, Alkali, had honorably surrendered himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court's initial April 16 arrest warrant, Farouq was conspicuously absent without prior written notifications.
When asked by presiding judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, to account for his client’s whereabouts, defense counsel Oladipo Okpesheyi stated that the former minister had been flown to North Africa for urgent clinical attention.
Okpesheyi explained:
“My lord, she is in Egypt. I learnt that her doctor said she is not medically fit to appear today. There is a medical report I received on my phone last night indicating that she is in the hospital on doctor's advice in Egypt. She will need about two months to recover before she can come. We will be humbly asking for an adjournment.”
Justice Onwuegbuzie expressed strong dissatisfaction with the defense's explanation, labeling the sudden medical excuse a calculated delay tactic designed to stall the swift administration of criminal justice.
The judge explicitly warned the defense team that the court would not tolerate repetitive, open-ended trial deflections.
Refusing to vacate the active arrest warrant, Justice Onwuegbuzie ruled that the bench warrant against Farouq remains operational and legally binding on all law enforcement agencies.
The court subsequently granted a short adjournment until Monday, June 8, 2026, ordering the defense counsel to ensure the primary defendant physically submits herself to the court registry for formal arraignment on the next adjourned date.
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