The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former humanitarian affairs minister Sadiya Umar Farouq wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and diversion of public funds.
The anti-graft agency published the notice on its official website on Saturday, marking a dramatic escalation in investigations linked to the handling of funds under the ministry she headed during the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the notice, Farouq, 52, is from Zamfara State, and her last known address was listed as EN 008, Okpo River, off Agulu Street, Maitama, Abuja.
In the statement signed by the EFCC’s head of media and publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission appealed to members of the public to provide information that could assist in locating the former minister.
“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 said.
The commission urged anyone with useful information to contact its offices across the country, including those in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja, or report to the nearest police station.
Farouq served as minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development between 2019 and 2023, overseeing a ministry central to the Buhari government’s social intervention programmes and emergency relief operations.
