Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has dismissed an application by former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside a bench warrant issued for her arrest.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, clears the path for the arraignment of Farouq alongside two co-defendants — Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed — on charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The three defendants face allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and fraudulent diversion of public funds totalling $1.3 million and N746,574,303.
In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that Farouq had deliberately failed to appear in court without providing a valid justification. He noted that the law empowers the court to issue a bench warrant where a defendant is absent from criminal proceedings without reasonable cause.
The judge rejected medical excuses presented by the former minister, who cited arthritis and heart disease as reasons for her absence. "Is it that there are no medical facilities in Nigeria?" the judge asked, adding that Farouq was attempting to evade trial by raising what he described as bogus excuses.
"It is important that the applicant be reminded that this is a criminal matter and not a civil one, and there is an established procedure for its proceedings," the judge held.
The arrest warrant was originally issued on April 16, 2026, after Farouq and Alkali failed to appear for their scheduled arraignment. Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present in court at the time.
According to the EFCC, the funds in question were meant to be refunded to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development by Visual ICT Limited. The sums represented excess payments made under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries. The defendants are accused of fraudulently converting these funds for personal benefit.
The alleged offences contravene Section 315 of the Penal Code, according to the EFCC.
The case has been adjourned until July 2, 2026, for arraignment.
This is not the first time Farouq has faced scrutiny over humanitarian funds. In 2024, she voluntarily appeared at EFCC headquarters for questioning over an alleged laundering of N37.10 billion during her tenure, reportedly routed through a contractor named James Okwete. The former minister has denied all allegations, stating that she never worked with the named contractor and describing the reports linking her to the scheme as spurious.
