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Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, on Monday, June 15, 2026, dismissed an application filed by counsel to a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside the bench warrant and warrant of arrest issued against her.
Farouq, alongside two others — Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed — is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.
Delivering his ruling on Monday, the judge held that the defendant had willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason, maintaining that the law empowers the court to issue a bench warrant once it is established that a defendant is absent without justification.
“The defendant, who is fully aware that this is a criminal proceeding, has willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason, and the law empowers the court, when it has been ascertained that the defendant is absent without a valid reason, to issue a bench warrant of arrest. There is nothing in the exhibit explaining why the defendant, who has mere arthritis and heart disease, cannot appear before the court. Is it that there are no medical facilities in Nigeria? I am convinced that the 1st defendant is trying to hide behind her fingers by raising bogus excuses. It is important that the applicant be reminded that this is a criminal matter and not a civil one, and there is an approach to its proceedings. By all legal considerations, I am of the opinion that there is no merit in this application. I so hold,” he said.
Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, commended the judge for what he described as a well-considered ruling. He further reminded the court of the undertaking by defence counsel, A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, to produce the first defendant, urging the court to enforce the undertaking.
“My Lord, for a senior counsel to make an undertaking which is reflected in Your Lordship’s ruling, we crave that Your Lordship give effect to that undertaking by A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, to produce the defendant. If you look at the so-called medical report attached, it only requested a period of six to eight weeks, within which the defendant would not be arrested, and the eight weeks expired on June 9, 2026. I plead with Your Lordship that the court should not take the undertaking for granted. On our part, we have decided to give effect to the arrest of the first defendant, and we also ask counsel to the first defendant to cooperate and produce his client at the next adjournment to avoid coercive measures,” he said.
Responding, A.M. Lawal, who stood in for A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, urged the judge to allow Ibrahim to be present in court to respond to the EFCC’s application regarding the undertaking.
Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the request, stating that Ibrahim should be allowed to appear in court to defend himself on the issue of the undertaking.
The matter was adjourned to July 2, 2026, for arraignment.
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