Nigeria’s anti corruption war took another dramatic turn on Saturday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over allegations involving criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.
The development was officially announced through a wanted notice published by the EFCC, marking one of the most high profile anti graft actions involving a former member of ex President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet. According to the commission, the former minister is being investigated in connection with alleged financial misconduct that reportedly occurred during her tenure in office between 2019 and 2023.
In the notice signed by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission urged members of the public to provide any useful information regarding Farouq’s whereabouts. The agency listed several of its offices across the country, including Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Kaduna, and Ibadan, where information could be submitted. The EFCC also released a hotline and official email address for members of the public willing to assist with the investigation. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
The anti graft agency stated that the former minister’s last known address was located in Maitama, Abuja. Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether she has left the country, but the wanted declaration has intensified public attention around the ongoing investigations into activities within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs during the Buhari administration.
Saturday’s announcement comes only weeks after the Federal Capital Territory High Court reportedly issued a warrant for her arrest alongside a former permanent secretary in the ministry, Bashir Alkali. Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie had ordered their arrest following their failure to appear in court for arraignment over allegations linked to the misappropriation of about 1.3 million dollars and over ₦746 million in public funds.
The Humanitarian Affairs Ministry had previously come under intense scrutiny over the management of social intervention funds and poverty alleviation programmes initiated by the Federal Government. Investigations by anti corruption agencies over the past few years have exposed several allegations involving contract irregularities, questionable payments, and abuse of official procedures tied to the ministry’s operations.
Farouq served as one of the prominent female ministers in Buhari’s administration and oversaw key national programmes including disaster response operations, conditional cash transfers, and humanitarian support schemes across different parts of the country. Her tenure also coincided with periods of major national emergencies, including flood disasters, insecurity related displacements, and the economic hardship that followed the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest move by the EFCC is expected to generate renewed debate over accountability in public office, especially as Nigerians continue to demand tougher action against corruption and mismanagement of public resources. Political observers believe the case could become one of the most closely watched corruption investigations in recent years due to the high profile status of the former minister and the scale of the allegations involved.
