Nigeria, May 18 -- Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, on Monday, failed to appear before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja for her scheduled arraignment on fraud charges involving $1.3 million and N746.6 million.

This is coming a month and two days after trial judge Jude Onwuegbuzie ordered her and one of her co-defendants to be arrested and brought to court.

The judge, after issuing the arrest warrant against the two individuals on 16 April, set today (Monday) for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign the defendants.

However, Ms Umar-Farouq's legal team, again on Monday, blamed her absence on ill health, the same excuse...