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Alleged $1.3m, N746.6m Humanitarian Ministry Fraud: Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against Sadiya, Perm Sec
Alleged $1.3m, N746.6m Humanitarian Ministry Fraud: Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against Sadiya, Perm Sec
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court Abuja on Thursday, April 16, 2026 issued a warrant of arrest against a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruoq and a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali.
Farouq and Alkali are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday before the court but failed to appear. Only the third defendant, Sani Nafiu Mohammed was present in court.
The trio are to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a twenty-one count charge bordering on breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent award of contract and conversion of public funds of about $1,300,000( One Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars, and N746,574,303( Seven Hundred and Forty Six Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Four Naira, Three Hundred and Three Naira)
Count one of the charge reads: “That you Sadiya Umar Farouq, While being Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and Bashir Nura Alkali while being the permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, between 8 May 2021 and 22 September 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with certain property to wit, an aggregate sum of $1,300,000.00(One Million, Three Hundred Thousand Dollars), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you fraudulently converted the said sum to your personal benefit and which sum was meant to be refunded to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development by Visual ICT Limited, being excess funds paid by the Ministry under National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) for the validation of Rapid Response Register beneficiaries and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code and Punishable under the same Section.”
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court that the charge had been filed since December 15, 2025, but the first and second defendants could not be served.
“We could not arraign them on 15 December, because we could not produce them but their lawyers in court promised that they would produce the defendants but we didn’t see them until your lordship made an order for the state service. The defendants have now been served, my lord, only the third defendant has reported to the Commission when his surety was contacted. The third defendant’s surety is also in court”, he said.
Rotimi further informed the court the first defendant wrote to the Commission that she was going for a medical check-up in Saudi Arabia in 2024 and her passport was released to her for the medical check-up.
“My lord, since that passport was released to her, she has not returned the passport to the Commission . We do not have the medical report in Saudi Arabia till date. Only this morning, my friend served me with an affidavit of fact, the learned senior counsel for the first defendant, wherein the deponent claimed that the first defendant took ill, my lord, all the medical reports which my friend attached to the affidavit of facts were issued after the charge had been filed. No medical report was issued or shown to us for the approved journey and the release of her passport”, he said
Counsel to the first defendant, Abdul Ibrahim, SAN, informed the court that the reason for her absence was ill health. He also prayed the court to accept an affidavit of fact he sought to tender, but the court rejected the application.
Also, Jacobs informed the court that the EFCC wanted to amend an ex-parte motion filed on February 16, 2026, which sought to limit the application to only the first and second defendants. He further prayed the court to order a warrant of arrest against the first and second defendants.
EFCC
“We are praying your lordship to order or issue a warrant of arrest or bench warrant against the first and second defendants. It is also supported by an affidavit by one Celeb Peter on April 15, 2026 showing that the first and second defendants were granted bail but failed to report back and that the charge had been filed and served on them but they have failed to appear before the court today. It is imperative therefore for this honourable court to permit the Commission to arrest the first and second defendants so that they can be compelled to appear before the court”, he said.
The defence counsel, on the other hand, prayed the court to allow him produce the first defendant in court in a period of six weeks
Delivering a ruling on the applications, Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a warrant of arrest against the first and second defendants and adjourned the matter till May 18, 2026 for arraignment and trial.
Lagos Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists
The Lagos State police command has arrested four suspected cultists and recovered 13 live cartridges in the Ajanmgbadi community of Ojo Local Government Area.
In a statement on Tuesday, the police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said officers also recovered three firearms from the suspects.
She stated that they had been linked to violent crimes, including killings.
Eereporter.com
The suspects were identified as Emmanuel Nwokolo, alias “Oblo”, Ayola Israel, alias “Essy Pawpaw”, Ebuka Nnamdi, and Chinedu Okafor.
Ms Adebisi said the suspects were arrested at a hotel in Ajanmgbadi, following credible intelligence received by the command.
“Preliminary investigation revealed disturbing evidence of the suspects’ involvement in violent criminal activities. A video recovered from one of the suspects’ mobile phones allegedly showed the killing of unidentified persons within Ajanmgbadi and surrounding communities,” she said.
She added that the suspects, during interrogation, reportedly confessed to being members of the Aiye Confraternity.
According to Ms Adebisi, the suspects admitted to being responsible for terrorising residents through a series of killings and other violent crimes.
Police
“Further investigation and searches conducted by the operatives led to the recovery of two (2) locally fabricated pistols, one revolver pistol, and thirteen (13) live cartridges believed to have been used in the commission of their criminal activities.
“Investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspects’ involvement in other criminal cases, identify additional members of the gang, and apprehend all accomplices,” said Ms Adebisi.
She added that the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Eereporter.com
Alleged N10.2b Fraud: EFCC Presents 17 Witnesses Against Ali Bello, Closes Case
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, closed its case against Ali Bello, a nephew of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, and his co-defendant, Dauda Suleiman, after presenting 17 witnesses before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
The defendants are being prosecuted on amended 16-count charges, bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N10,270,556,800.00 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira).
Eereporter.com
At the Tuesday sitting, the 17th Prosecution Witness, Ahmed Audu Abubakar, an investigator with the EFCC concluded his testimony under re-examination by prosecution counsel, Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
During the proceedings, the prosecution tendered statements made by Abdulsalam Hudu, cashier of the Kogi State Government House Administration on August 7, August 14, September 3 and September 24, 2024. With no objections from counsel to the defendants, the court admitted the statements in evidence and marked them as Exhibits B1, B2, B3 and B4 respectively.
The prosecution counsel, thereafter asked the witness to identify portions of the exhibits relating to the payment of N300,000 by a bureau de change operator to Hudu. In response, the witness pointed to the August 14, 2024 statement.
While reading from the document, the witness stated that the said N300,000 was received from Ali Bello, who is presently the chief of staff to the Kogi State governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, for the purchase of books intended for support for a community school project.
Following the conclusion of his testimony and in the absence of further questions from either side, the witness was discharged from the witness box.
Thereafter, the prosecution counsel informed the court that the prosecution had concluded its case after calling 17 witnesses and tendering several documentary exhibits in support of the charges against the defendants.
EFCC
With the closure of the prosecution’s case, counsel to the first defendant, A. M. Aliyu, SAN, and counsel to the second defendant informed the court of their intention to file a no-case submission.
The defence subsequently requested four days within which to file their no-case submission. In response, the prosecution sought three days to file a reply, while the defence further requested 24 hours to respond on points of law.
Justice Omotosho granted the applications and adjourned the matter until June 15, 2026, for the adoption of written addresses on the no-case submission of the defence.
Eereporter.com
Nigeria Is Open To Investment, Ready For Partnership: Dr. Bernard M. Doro.
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M Doro has urged Development partners to invest in Nigeria pointing out that, Nigeria has a lot of potential and is open to investment.
The Honourable Minister stated this when he had an audience with the Norwegian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Andreas Krsvik who led a delegation to the minister’s office.
Eereporter.com
Dr. Doro said, there’s so much opportunity in Nigeria that, when investors come in and invest, Nigerian youths will have more employment opportunities to build in their talents and contribute their quota to the economy.
He said, ” We need a strong and resilient partnership to make the Nigerian market large and strong. Adding that, the ministry’s focus is to ensure that, the gains from macro- economic reforms translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians especially those affected by Humanitarian crises.
He said the ministry is ready to partner with Norway while paying attention to International Law. Adding that, ” We will align ourselves to Kampala declaration”
The Kampala declaration addresses the entire food value chain including nutrition, economic development and environmental sustainability.
Earlier, the Norwegian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andreas Krsvik said, their visit is to seek for partnership with the Nigerian Government and the ministry in particular. Pointing out that, Nigeria is looked at, as a super power in the continent hence, working together he said, will benefit both countries in the area of economy, security, Human rights amongst others.
Bernard M. Doro
The Permanent Secretary, Mr Olubunmi Olusanya on behalf of the management of the ministry welcomed and appreciated the delegate, pointing out that their visit is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation in Humanitarian assistance. He hopes for their continue support.
Signed
Janet McDickson Noah
Director Information and Public Relations.
Eereporter.com
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