She tried to make the arrest warrant go away. The court said no.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday dismissed an application filed by lawyers representing former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside the bench warrant and arrest warrant issued against her. The ruling keeps the legal pressure firmly on a former minister whose prolonged absence from court has frustrated both prosecutors and the judiciary.
What the Court Ruled
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Justice Onwuegbuzie held that Farouq had “willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason.” He further stated that the law empowers the court to issue a bench warrant when a defendant is absent from criminal proceedings without justification. As a result, the warrant remains fully active. The case has been adjourned until July 2, 2026, for arraignment.
Farouq is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed on a 21 count charge that includes criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and the alleged diversion of approximately $1.3 million and N746.7 million in public funds.
The Medical Report Argument
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The defence had previously submitted a medical report claiming Farouq was in Egypt receiving treatment and was medically unfit to travel. However, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, pointed out that the medical report itself only requested six to eight weeks for treatment — and that the eight week period had expired on June 9, 2026.
Jacobs urged the court not to take the undertaking given by Farouq’s lead counsel, A.A. Ibrahim, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for granted. He called on the defence to cooperate in producing the defendant or face the enforcement of the warrant through coercive means.
What Happens Next
The next court date is July 2. That date is now a significant moment in one of Nigeria’s most watched anti corruption trials. The EFCC has signalled clearly that it is ready to enforce the warrant. The court has dismissed the attempt to nullify it. Furthermore, the judge’s language about the defence’s conduct was pointed enough to suggest limited patience remains.
For Nigerians who have been following this case since the EFCC first declared Farouq wanted in April, Monday’s ruling is a meaningful step. The legal machinery is moving. Whether Farouq appears on July 2 will be the next chapter.
