By Hadiza Abdulkadir
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially declared the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted.
The anti-graft agency issued the declaration on Friday following Farouq’s repeated failure to appear for a scheduled arraignment. She is facing 21 counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and the diversion of public funds totalling billions of naira.
Central to the investigation is the alleged laundering of over N37 billion through a contractor, James Okwete, during her tenure under the Buhari administration. While Farouq had previously honoured some invitations for questioning, the EFCC moved for her arrest after she reportedly stopped complying with summons and became unreachable.
In April, a Federal Capital Territory High Court issued bench warrants for both Farouq and the ministry’s former Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, after they failed to appear in court.
The EFCC has urged anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or commission office, as the manhunt for the former cabinet member intensifies.