Abuja: Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of an Abuja High Court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant against the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq.
The judge also ordered the arrest of Bashir Alkali, a former permanent secretary in the same ministry.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed charges against Alkali, a former minister who served in the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, and Sani Rabiu.
They were to be arraigned sometime in 2025, but the arraignment could not proceed due to the defendants’ absence from court.
On March 23, Justice Onwuegbuzie ordered substituted service on them and directed the EFCC to paste the charge on their known addresses.
At the resumed sitting, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, informed the court of an ex parte application seeking a warrant of arrest for Farouq and Alkali.
Jacobs said the application was filed under Section 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Jacobs, however, amended the application in light of Rabiu’s presence in court.
Abdul Ibrahim SAN appeared for the former minister.
In its ruling, the court noted that Exhibit SF1 was attached to the affidavit supporting the application. It is an affidavit of service of the charge on the defendants, as directed by the court at the last sitting.
Having been satisfied that the former minister (the first defendant) and the second defendant refused to appear before the court after service, Justice Onwuegbuzie subsequently issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the first and second defendants.
He then adjourned the matter until May 18 for arraignment.
