The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
The anti-graft agency published the wanted notice on its official platforms on Saturday, urging members of the public with information about her whereabouts to contact the commission or the nearest police station. The notice listed Farouq, 52, as a native of Zamfara State and gave her last known address as EN 008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja.
“The public is hereby notified that Sadiya Umar Farouq, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds,” the notice stated.
The development marks a major escalation in the EFCC’s long-running investigation into alleged financial misconduct linked to the humanitarian affairs ministry during Farouq’s tenure from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In April, an Abuja court ordered the arrest of Farouq, a former permanent secretary in the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, and another defendant, Sani Mohammed, after they failed to appear for arraignment in a case involving alleged fraud. Reports said the EFCC filed a 21-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards and diversion of public funds.
The alleged fraud was reported to involve about $1.3 million and ₦746.6 million connected to contracts and funds under the National Social Investment Programme Agency. Prosecutors alleged that the funds, which were due back to the ministry, were converted between May 2021 and September 2022.
Farouq had previously appeared before the EFCC in 2024 during investigations into financial dealings in the humanitarian affairs ministry. The commission also reportedly seized travel documents belonging to Farouq and other officials connected to related probes at the time.
The EFCC asked anyone with useful information to contact any of its offices in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Benin, Makurdi, Ilorin, Gombe or other locations nationwide. It also provided its hotline and email address for public assistance.
Farouq has not been convicted of any offence, and the allegations remain subject to court proceedings. However, the wanted notice signals that the EFCC is intensifying efforts to compel her appearance as it pursues one of the most politically sensitive corruption cases linked to the former Buhari administration.
