A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, has upheld the bench warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, after she again failed to appear in court over charges of alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of $1.3 million and N746.7 million in public funds.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, who presided over Tuesday’s proceedings, expressed visible frustration at what he described as deliberate attempts to delay the trial, warning that he would not tolerate further postponements.
Farouq is being prosecuted alongside two co-defendants — Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed — by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court had initially issued a bench warrant on April 16, 2026, following the former minister’s absence during a scheduled arraignment. The second defendant, Alkali, subsequently surrendered himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court’s directive.
At Tuesday’s sitting, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs told the court that Farouq’s absence was again unexcused, noting that her own lawyer had previously given an undertaking to produce her in court within a month.
“My expectation this morning was for my learned colleague to produce his client as promised. Instead, she is absent again,” Jacobs argued, urging the court to enforce the earlier undertaking rather than entertain any application to discharge the warrant.
Farouq’s counsel responded that he was only notified late Sunday that his client was receiving medical treatment in Egypt and was medically unfit to attend.Justice Onwuegbuzie was unmoved. “At the last adjournment, counsel undertook to produce the first defendant before this court.
I will not tolerate unnecessary delays in my court,” he said, warning that Farouq must appear at the next sitting — “even if she comes in a wheelchair.
“The court upheld the arrest warrant and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment, with a clear signal that further absences would invite stronger judicial action.
