Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Sadiya Umar Farouq

On April 16, 2026, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja issued an arrest warrant for former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq. This action followed her failure to appear in court for the third time regarding charges brought against her and co-defendant Sani Nafiu by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The charges, filed on December 15, 2025, include twenty counts of breach of trust and abuse of office related to the fraudulent award of contracts amounting to $1.3 million (N746,574,303). Farouq's absence was attributed to a medical check in Saudi Arabia, as stated by her counsel, Abdul Ibrahim.

The court rejected an affidavit submitted regarding her health and adjourned the matter until May 18, 2026, while allowing the EFCC to amend their motion to limit applications against the defendants.