Ex-minister Sadiya Farouq hospitalised in Egypt, counsel tells court

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, is currently in Egypt and medically unfit to appear before the court, her counsel, Oladipo Okpesheyi, told the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday.

Farouq, alongside Bashir Nura Alkali, a permanent secretary in the ministry, and one Sani Mohammed, is facing a 21-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged breach of trust and abuse of office.

The anti-graft agency accused the former minister and her co-defendants of misappropriating about $1.3 million and N746.6 million.

The charges were filed before the FCT High Court in Apo.

In April, the court issued arrest warrants against Farouq and Alkali, while the EFCC later declared the former minister wanted over alleged abuse of office and diversion of public funds.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment.

Jacobs noted that Farouq was absent from court without prior explanation.

“My lord, we were here on April 16, 2026, when your lordship granted us a bench warrant to arrest the first defendant,” Jacobs was quoted as saying 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.”

The prosecution counsel also reminded the court that Okpesheyi had previously assured the court that he would produce the former minister within one month.

Presiding judge, Jude Onwuegbuzie, then asked Farouq’s lawyer to explain why his client was absent.

In response, Okpesheyi said he received information the previous night that the former minister was ill and undergoing treatment in Egypt.

“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,” the counsel said.

“She will need about two months to recover before she can come. We will be humbly asking for an adjournment.”

The judge, however, criticised what he described as delay tactics and warned that further action could be taken if the former minister fails to appear at the next hearing.

Onwuegbuzie ruled that the arrest warrant against Farouq would remain in force and adjourned the case until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.

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