A dramatic twist unfolded at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Thursday as Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ordered th...
A dramatic twist unfolded at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Thursday as Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ordered the arrest of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, over an explosive alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.6 million in public funds.
The courtroom, packed with anxious observers, was thrown into tension as the two high-profile defendants failed to appear for their scheduled arraignment, prompting the court to issue a bench warrant against them. Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, was present.
The trio are facing a 21-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards, and diversion of massive public funds.
According to the charge, Farouq and Alkali allegedly diverted funds amounting to $1.3 million—money said to be refunds owed to the ministry by a contractor, Visual ICT Limited—during their tenure between May 2021 and September 2022. The funds were linked to the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) programme, raising fresh concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s social intervention schemes.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, revealed that despite filing the charges since December 2025, efforts to bring the defendants before the court had repeatedly failed. He disclosed that while the third defendant honoured the EFCC’s invitation, the former minister had not only failed to return her passport after being granted permission for a medical trip to Saudi Arabia in 2024, but had also not submitted any medical report to justify her prolonged absence.
“My lord, since that passport was released, she has not returned it, and we have no medical report to support her claim,” Jacobs told the court, casting doubt over the defence’s argument of ill health.
Defence counsel, Abdul Ibrahim, pleaded for leniency, citing his client’s medical condition and requesting six weeks to produce her in court. However, the court rejected an affidavit submitted to that effect.
In a firm ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie declared that the continued absence of the defendants could no longer be tolerated, granting the prosecution’s request for their arrest to compel appearance.
The case has been adjourned to May 18, 2026, for arraignment and commencement of trial.
The unfolding scandal has sent shockwaves through political and administrative circles, as Nigerians watch closely to see whether the long arm of the law will finally catch up with the powerful figures at the centre of the storm.
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