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Ex-Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Umar Farooq
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has finally declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under President Muhammadu Buhari, Sadiya Farouq, wanted.
Political Economist NG had earlier reported alleged financial heist pending against her name and a few officials of her ministry.
Shortly after leaving office in 2023, the EFCC gave hint that she was being investigated alongside other ministers and appointees of Buhari. Her case, it was learnt, was peculiar because handled huge amount of money with some of the expenditure paid out in cash under the social support programme.
A hefty sum of N37 billion was said to have been misappropriated by Farouq and her team which EFCC documents alleged was diverted from its original purpose into private accounts.
A curious dimension arose in her case when it was further alleged that the she misappropriated about $1.3 million and N746.6 million with top members of the ministry.
Political Economist recalls that on April 16, 2026, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo issued an arrest warrant against Umar Farouq.
The presiding judge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, also granted an order of arrest against a permanent secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali.
The order was granted following an application by the EFCC after the defendants failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment.
Umar Faruoq and Alkali, alongside one Sani Mohammed, are facing a 21-count charge bordering on breach of trust and abuse of office as filed by the EFCC.
Following her silence and refusal to honour EFCC invitations, the Commission on Saturday, declared her wanted over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.
The anti-graft agency posted the wanted notice on its website on Saturday.
EFCC, in the notice signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, urged members of the public with information on her whereabouts to contact the commission.
“The public is hereby notified that SADIYA UMAR FAROUQ, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.
“Farouq, 52, is an indigene of Zamfara State, and her last known address is: EN 008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja.
“Anybody with useful information as to her whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: [info@efcc.gov.ng](mailto:info@efcc.gov.ng) or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies,” the notice stated.
Farouq served as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.
The EFCC specifically accused Farouq and Alkali of converting $1.3 million being excess payment meant to be refunded to the ministry by Visual ICT Limited under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office programme for validating Rapid Response Register beneficiaries.
