The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Monday ordered the defence team of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, to produce her in court “even if she is in a wheelchair,” as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intensifies efforts to recover more than N123 billion allegedly linked to corruption cases involving former ministers under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie sustained the bench warrant earlier issued against Farouq over alleged fraud involving $1.3 million and N746.7 million, rejecting attempts by her lawyers to secure another lengthy adjournment.
The former minister is being prosecuted alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed on charges bordering on alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
At the resumed proceedings, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment, but lamented that Farouq again failed to appear without any satisfactory explanation.
Jacobs reminded the court that the bench warrant issued on April 16, 2026, had already compelled the second defendant to surrender himself to the commission, insisting that the same order must remain in force against the former minister.
He also recalled that Farouq’s lawyer, Oladipo Okpesheyi (SAN), had previously pleaded for one month to produce his client before the court.
“My expectation this morning would have been for my colleague to say that the client he promised to produce is in court today, but alas, he did not do so,” Jacobs said.
Responding, Okpesheyi informed the court that Farouq was currently in Egypt receiving medical treatment and was medically unfit to travel.
According to him, a medical report received from her doctors indicated that she would need about two months to recover before returning to Nigeria.
But Justice Onwuegbuzie frowned at what he described as repeated efforts to frustrate and delay the trial.
“At the last adjournment, M.S. Ibrahim promised the court to produce the first defendant. It will be impossible to grant another adjournment.
“I will not tolerate unnecessary adjournments in my court. I will give you a short adjournment, and you will go and bring her, even if she is in a wheelchair. And if she is not here, the court will do what it needs to do,” the judge declared.
The court subsequently ruled that the arrest warrant against Farouq would remain active and adjourned the matter till June 8, 2026, for arraignment.
The development came barely days after the EFCC officially declared the former minister wanted over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
In a notice signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency urged members of the public with information on Farouq’s whereabouts to contact any EFCC office nationwide or the nearest police station.
Farouq is one of six former ministers under Buhari currently facing corruption investigations and prosecutions involving over N123.7 billion allegedly diverted from public coffers.
Others under EFCC scrutiny include former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, former Power Minister Saleh Mamman, former Labour Minister Chris Ngige, and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva.
Already, Saleh Mamman has been convicted and sentenced to 75 years imprisonment over the diversion of N33.8 billion meant for major power projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric schemes. The court also ordered him to refund N22 billion to the Federal Government.
Sirika is standing trial alongside family members over alleged abuse of office and fraudulent contract awards valued at about N2.7 billion linked to aviation projects, while Ngige faces allegations involving unlawful gratification and abuse of office totalling about N2.26 billion connected to contractors under the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
Malami is also under investigation over assets and financial transactions reportedly exceeding N10 billion, including dealings linked to recovered Abacha loot, with courts already ordering interim forfeiture of several properties allegedly tied to him and his associates.
Meanwhile, Timipre Sylva has been declared wanted by the EFCC over an alleged $14.8 million fraud involving funds belonging to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board. This is apart from being on the wanted list as alleged chief sponsor of a coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Farouq herself is facing broader allegations involving over N37 billion in social intervention funds in addition to the foreign currency and naira fraud charges already before the court.