A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, has sustained the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, over an alleged $1.3 million and N746.7 million fraud case.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, on Monday, maintained the bench warrant initially issued on April 16, 2026, following the former minister’s failure to appear before the court for arraignment.

Farouq, alongside Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.

At the resumed proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment, but the first defendant was absent without explanation.

Jacobs urged the court to sustain the arrest warrant against Farouq while requesting that the warrant against the second defendant be withdrawn after he voluntarily surrendered himself to the EFCC in compliance with the court’s earlier order.

He further reminded the court that counsel to the first defendant had previously undertaken to produce his client in court and argued that the undertaking should be enforced rather than seeking another adjournment.

Counsel to the former minister, Oladipo Okpesheyi, SAN, however told the court that his client was currently in Egypt receiving medical treatment and was unfit to attend proceedings.

According to him, a medical report received late Sunday indicated that Farouq would require approximately two months to recover before appearing in court.

Justice Onwuegbuzie criticized what he described as repeated attempts to frustrate and delay the trial, warning that the court would take further action if the defendant failed to appear at the next adjourned date.

The judge subsequently ruled that the arrest warrant against Farouq would remain in force and adjourned the matter until June 8, 2026, for arraignment.