Oladipo Okpesheyi, lawyer to former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, says his client is currently in Egypt and is medically unfit to appear in court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Farouq, Bashir Nura Alkali, a permanent secretary in the ministry, and Sani Mohammed with a 21-count charge bordering on breach of trust and abuse of office.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the former minister and the other defendants misappropriated about $1.3 million and N746.6 million. The EFCC filed the charges before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo.
In April, the court issued arrest warrants for Farouq and Alkali. The EFCC also recently declared the former minister wanted over alleged abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
Monday’s Proceedings
At Monday’s hearing, Rotimi Jacobs, senior advocate of Nigeria and counsel to the EFCC, told the court that the matter was slated for arraignment.
Jacobs informed the court that Farouq, the first defendant, 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 in a statement issued by the EFCC.
“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 also told the court that Okpesheyi had earlier promised to produce the former minister within one month.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie then asked Farouq’s lawyer to explain why his client failed to appear in court.
Okpesheyi said he received information on Sunday night that the former minister was receiving treatment in Egypt and would not be fit to appear in court for another two months.
“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 Onwuegbuzie criticised what he described as delay tactics and warned that the court could take further action if the former minister fails to appear at the next hearing.
The judge maintained the arrest warrant against Farouq and adjourned the case until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.
