Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja, has sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The warrant, initially issued on April 16, 2026, was upheld during Monday’s proceedings after the former minister failed to appear in court for her arraignment over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
Farouq is standing trial alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed in a case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment but noted that the first defendant was absent without any official explanation.
Jacobs recalled that the court had earlier issued a bench warrant against Farouq, adding that the second defendant later surrendered himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court order.
He urged the court to sustain the warrant against the former minister while lifting that of the second defendant.
“My expectation this morning was for my learned colleague to produce his client in court as promised, but unfortunately that was not the case,” Jacobs said.
Responding, counsel to the first defendant, Oladipo Okpesheyi (SAN), told the court that Farouq was currently in Egypt receiving medical treatment and was unfit to appear in court.
According to him, a medical report received late Sunday night indicated that she would require about two months to recover.
“My lord, she is in Egypt. I learnt that her doctor said she is not medically fit to appear today,” he stated while pleading for an adjournment.
Justice Onwuegbuzie, however, expressed displeasure over what he described as repeated attempts to frustrate and delay the trial.
“At the last adjournment, counsel promised the court to produce the first defendant. It will be impossible to grant another long adjournment.
I will not tolerate unnecessary adjournment in my court,” the judge said.
“I will give you a short adjournment and you will go and bring her, even if she is in a wheelchair.
And if she is not here, the court will do what it needs to do.”
The court subsequently sustained the arrest warrant against Farouq and adjourned the matter till June 8, 2026 for arraignment.
