By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde
Professor Usman Yusuf, former head of Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate him for speaking out against the government.
In a recent interview with Arise Television, Yusuf claimed that his detention by the EFCC was a deliberate attempt to silence him. “This government deliberately denied me bail to shake me up. But I am not someone who can be silenced,” he said.
The EFCC had charged Yusuf before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in February on a five-count charge of alleged fraud, to which he pleaded not guilty.
According to Yusuf, EFCC operatives stormed his home on January 29 without showing an arrest warrant. He said, “They walked into the house and said they wanted to see me, claiming I was expecting them. They only later showed their badges.”
Yusuf described the harsh treatment he received during his detention, including being prevented from changing clothes and being transported like a notorious criminal. “As if they had captured a notorious criminal like Kachalla Bello Turji,” he said.
After spending six days in EFCC custody, Yusuf was denied bail, which he claimed was unconstitutional. He said, “Bail is a constitutionally guaranteed right for any accused person, except in cases of capital offences or terrorism, and my case was neither.”
The denial of bail led to Yusuf spending 24 additional days at Kuje Prison. Despite the experience, he characterized his imprisonment as a period of “retreat for rest, prayers, and reflection,” stating that it strengthened his spirit.
Yusuf believes the government’s actions are aimed at silencing him and creating a “one-party dictatorial state.” He noted the irony that President Tinubu, a former activist against military dictatorship, is now attempting to silence criticism.
Yusuf’s past is marked by controversy, having been appointed NHIS executive secretary in 2016 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, only to be suspended twice and eventually removed from office in 2019 over corruption allegations.
