Money Laundering: Court Orders Arrest of Ex-Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq

Money Laundering: Court Orders Arrest of Ex-Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Apo, has issued a bench warrant of arrest against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and co-defendant Bashir Nura Alkali over their failure to appear in court to answer charges in an ongoing ₦37.17 billion money laundering case.

The order followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting the defendants alongside Sani Nafiu Rabiu on allegations bordering on fraud, money laundering, and abuse of public funds linked to activities during Farouq’s tenure as minister.

At Thursday’s sitting in Apo, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that an ex parte application had been filed seeking a warrant for the arrest of the defendants under Section 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, due to repeated failure to appear for arraignment.

Although the former minister was absent in court, she was represented by senior advocate Abdul Ibrahim (SAN). The third defendant, Sani Nafiu Rabiu, was present in court when the matter was called.

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The prosecution later amended its application to exclude the third defendant and proceeded with the request for a warrant of arrest against Farouq and Alkali only.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that the defendants had been properly served with the charges, as evidenced by proof of service submitted to the court, but failed to present themselves for arraignment as required by law.

The judge subsequently ordered security agencies to arrest and produce the former minister and the second defendant before the court to take their plea.

The case had earlier suffered delays after the defendants failed to appear for arraignment, prompting the court to order substituted service on March 23, 2026, directing that the charges be pasted at their known addresses.

EFCC Allegations and Background of the Case

The EFCC alleges that about ₦37,170,855,753.44 was diverted through a contractor, James Okwete, during Farouq’s time in office. The funds were reportedly linked to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and allegedly moved through multiple accounts under investigation.

The anti-graft agency also stated that investigations uncovered complex financial transactions involving the contractor, which formed the basis of the money laundering charges currently before the court.

Farouq was previously invited and later detained by the EFCC in January 2024 after honouring an invitation linked to the case. She has, however, consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting she had no dealings with the contractor at the centre of the allegations.

Next Court Date

The matter has been adjourned to May 18, 2026, for arraignment, while the court directed law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with its arrest order.

Money Laundering: Court Orders Arrest of Ex-Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq