The counsel to former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Oladipo Okpesheyi, has told the court that his client is currently in Egypt and medically unfit to appear for proceedings.
Farouq, alongside Bashir Nura Alkali, a permanent secretary in the ministry, and one Sani Mohammed, is facing a 21-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged breach of trust and abuse of office.
The EFCC alleged that the former minister and the co-defendants misappropriated about $1.3 million and N746.6 million. The charges were filed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo.
In April, the court issued an arrest warrant against Farouq and Alkali, while the EFCC later declared the former minister wanted over alleged abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
At Monday’s resumed hearing, EFCC counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Jacobs, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment but noted that Farouq was absent without explanation.
“My lord, we were here on April 16, 2026, when your lordship granted us a bench warrant to arrest the first defendant,” Jacobs said.
“It was because of that; the second defendant immediately approached the Commission and surrendered himself in obedience to your lordship’s order.
“We urge your lordship to remove the bench warrant from the second defendant as we will be applying that the bench warrant for the first defendant be sustained.”
Jacobs added that Farouq’s counsel had earlier assured the court that he would produce his client within one month.
When asked by the court to explain his client’s absence, Okpesheyi said he received information the previous night that Farouq was ill and hospitalised in Egypt.
“My lord, she is in Egypt. I learnt that her doctor said she is not medically fit to appear today. There is a medical report I received on my phone last night that she is in the hospital on doctor’s advice in Egypt,” he said.
“She will need about two months to recover before she can come. We will be humbly asking for an adjournment.”
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie criticised what he described as delay tactics and warned that further action could be taken if the former minister fails to appear at the next hearing.
The judge maintained the arrest warrant against Farouq and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.