BREAKING: EFCC Declares Ex-Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq Wanted Over Alleged ₦37.1 Billion Fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, wanted over her alleged involvement in a ₦37.1 billion fraud case linked to the management of federal humanitarian and social intervention funds.

The anti-graft agency announced the development in a public notice issued on Saturday, stating that the former minister is being sought for alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering.

Farouq, 52, is from Zamfara State. The EFCC listed her last known address as EN008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja, and called on members of the public with information about her whereabouts to report to any EFCC office nationwide.

The declaration follows an arrest warrant issued by the Federal Capital Territory High Court on April 16, 2026, after Farouq and former Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, failed to appear in court for arraignment.

The EFCC has filed a 21-count charge against Farouq, Alkali, and Sani Nafiu Mohammed over alleged financial misconduct involving funds earmarked for vulnerable Nigerians.

At the centre of the case is the alleged diversion of approximately $1.3 million and ₦746.57 million, representing excess payments made to Visual ICT Limited for the validation of beneficiaries under the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) Rapid Response Register programme.

Investigators allege that the excess payments were meant to be refunded to the ministry but were instead converted for personal use. The transactions form part of the broader ₦37.1 billion financial irregularities being investigated by the EFCC.

Farouq served as minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. During her tenure, the ministry oversaw major social investment programmes, including cash transfers and humanitarian interventions aimed at supporting poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

The ministry came under intense public scrutiny following allegations of irregular contract awards and mismanagement of funds intended for poverty alleviation and emergency relief programmes.

The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office was established in 2016 to manage Nigeria’s social protection framework and maintain the National Social Register. One of its key initiatives, the Rapid Response Register, was designed to provide emergency support to households affected by shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EFCC’s latest action has sparked widespread reactions, with many Nigerians calling for accountability and justice over funds meant to assist the country’s poorest citizens.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Farouq nor her legal representatives had issued an official statement in response to the declaration.

The case is expected to remain in the spotlight as the EFCC intensifies efforts to locate the former minister and proceed with her prosecution.