By The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
In a wanted notice published on the Commission’s official website on Friday, May 9, 2026, the anti-graft agency stated that Farouq, 52, an indigene of Zamfara State, is wanted in an alleged case of Criminal Conspiracy, Abuse of Office, Diversion of Public Funds.
The notice, signed by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, disclosed her last known address as EN 008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja, and urged members of the public with useful information about her whereabouts to contact the Commission across its offices nationwide.
The development follows an earlier ruling delivered on April 16, 2026, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, who issued a warrant for the arrest of Farouq and a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, after both defendants failed to appear in court for arraignment.
According to the EFCC, Farouq, Alkali and a third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed, are facing a 21-count charge bordering on “breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contract and conversion of public funds” amounting to about $1.3 million and N746.6 million.
Part of the charge reads: “That you Sadiya Umar Farouq, while being Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and Bashir Nura Alkali while being the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, between 8 May 2021 and 22 September 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with certain property to wit, an aggregate sum of $1,300,000.00, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you fraudulently converted the said sum to your personal benefit and which sum was meant to be refunded to the Ministry by Visual ICT Limited.”
During proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that the charge had been filed since December 15, 2025, but the first and second defendants could not initially be served.
The senior advocate further informed the court that Farouq had earlier written to the Commission, stating that she travelled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment in 2024 after her passport was released to her by the EFCC.
“My lord, since that passport was released to her, she has not returned the passport to the Commission. We do not have the medical report in Saudi Arabia till date,” Jacobs added.
Counsel to the former minister, Abdul Ibrahim, however, argued that his client’s absence from court was due to ill health and sought to tender an affidavit of facts before the court, but the application was rejected.
This fresh development adds to the growing list of former ministers under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari currently facing investigations or prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged corruption-related offences.
Recall that AfrikTimes previously reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, on a 12-count charge of money laundering involving ₦33.8 billion. Mamman was prosecuted by the EFCC over allegations bordering on the laundering of ₦33,804,830,503.73 linked to funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Projects.
Similarly, Legit reported in December 2025 that three former ministers who served under Buhari had been flagged or charged by the anti-graft agency over allegations ranging from abuse of office to diversion of public funds.
In November 2025, former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, was declared wanted by the EFCC over alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 reportedly meant for the construction of a refinery. The funds were said to be part of monies paid by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the project.
Another former minister, Chris Ngige, who served as Minister of Labour and Employment, was also arraigned by the EFCC on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, contract fraud and unlawful acceptance of monetary gifts. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Legit.ng further reported that former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was questioned by investigators over alleged money laundering-related matters linked to suspicious financial transactions, including an alleged N10 billion investment in Kebbi State, as well as issues surrounding recovered Abacha loot amounting to $322 million from Swiss accounts and about $22 million from the Island of Jersey in the United Kingdom.
