Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq

Sadiya Umar Farouq, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development (2019–2023), faces several corruption and fraud allegations. In April 2026, a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for her arrest after she failed to appear for arraignment on a 21-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges, which include criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, fraudulent contract awards, and diversion of public funds, involve approximately $1.3 million and N746.6 million. The EFCC alleges she and a former permanent secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, converted funds meant to be refunded to the ministry by a contractor, Visual ICT Limited. Additionally, the EFCC has investigated her regarding an alleged N37.1 billion fraud case involving the ministry's social intervention funds. In September 2020, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) also reported a diversion of N2.67 billion designated for school feeding programs during the COVID-19 lockdown. In 2024, a Federal High Court ordered her to account for N729 billion in payments to beneficiaries of social intervention programs. Farouq has publicly denied involvement in any fraudulent activities, stating that associations linking her to these allegations are spurious.