A FORMER Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf’s house was on Wednesday raided and arrested by gun-wielding Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over awarding a contract to his nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf.
In a phone conversation with The Explainer, Dele Oyewale, the head of the commission’s Media and Publicity department, confirmed that an anti-graft agency had arrested the former federal permanent secretary.
The commission said that the arrested official would be arraigned on Monday, February 3, 2025, at Court 44 FCT High Court, Kuje
Before Muhammad Buhari, the immediate past President, vacated office, a petition was submitted to him and the Federal Ministry of Health regarding misconduct and fraudulent practices.
Yusuf was appointed by Buhari into his administration in 2019 and was sacked months after a fact-finding panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Health over alleged mismanagement of 919m.
Arrested For Awarding Contract To Cronies
According to documents obtained by The Explainer on Thursday, the former permanent secretary was arrested for four count charges. He is being prosecuted for alleged misappropriation of public funds.
The petition alleged fraudulent practices and impunity perpetrated by Prof. Usman Yusuf during his tenure as Executive Secretary of NHIS.
The document sent to The Explainer partly reads, “ That you, Prof. Usman Yusuf sometimes between 2016 and July 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and being a public officer in the services of National Health Insurance Scheme used your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself when you approved the procurement of the purchase of a vehicle for yourself at the cost of N49.197,750, against the appropriated budget sum of N30,000,000.00 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 and punishable under the same section of the corrupt practices and other related offences Act, 2000”.
In another charge, “That you, Prof. Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the executive secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court and being a public officer in the services of National Health Insurance Scheme, knowingly held a private interest in the corporate entity known as GK Kanki foundation and without due process awarded a contract in the sum of N10. 1 million Naira in favour of the GK Kanki Foundation for the purported trainings of 90 person, which actual number of the participants were 45 persons and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 45 Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under the same section 45 (2) and (3) of the same Act”.
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In Charge 3 levelled against him read, That you, Prof. Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary Of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and being a public officer in the Services of National Health Insurance Scheme knowingly held a private interest in the corporate entity known as: Zaramat Global Services Limited and without due procurement processes awarded a contract in the sum of N771,428.58 Naira in favour of Zaramat Global Services Limited for a training programme on risk management and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 45 Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under the same section 45 (2) and (3) of the same Act.
“That you, Prof. Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary Of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used your position to confer an undue advantage upon yourself and knowingly acquired a private interest in an entity known as Lubekh Nigeria Limited owned by your nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf by awarding to him a contract for media and special public relations consultancy in the sum of N17, 500.000.00 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 22 and punishable under the same section of the Corrupt Practices and other offences Act, 2000.
“In the final count, the charges read, “That you, Prof. Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary Of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used your position to confer an unfair advantage upon yourself as a Director in Lubekh Nigeria Limited and carried out a contract for Media and Special Public Relations Consultancy in the sum of N17, 500,000.00 for training on communication strategies to officers of the NHIS and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 and punishable under the same Section of the Corrupt Practices and other related Offices Act, 2000”.
Court Shifts His Arraignment To February
Following the arrest of the former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, the Federal High Court in Kuje of Abuja presided by Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheomwu postponed his arraignment to February 3.
Though defence counsel, Isah Dokto Haruna, who held brief for the lead defence counsel, O.I.Habeeb, SAN made a bail application, it was turned down by the court on account of the defendant’s deferred arraignment.
Justice Nwecheonwu adjourned the matter till February 3, 2025, for arraignment and ruled that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Commission.
