THE EX-EXECUTIVE secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf’s family have written to the United States government to come to their aid over his detention in Kuje Prison.
The Explainer had reported how EFCC grilled and arraigned Usman over alleged misconduct while in office.
Yusuf, who holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and the US, was remanded by Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 3, 2025, for alleged misconduct.
His family wrote several letters to the American Embassy in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja for consular support and Honourable Senator Richard J. Durbin.
According to his wife, Mrs Iftikar Abdallah Yusuf, in a letter to the US Embassy, dated 18th February, her husband was taken from their home by armed EFCC agents without an arrest warrant and denied access to his family and lawyers.
She claims that his detention is a result of his vocal criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, which have caused widespread hardship in Nigeria.
Mrs Yusuf expressed concerns about her husband’s health, saying he has been denied access to his doctors.
She has written to the American Embassy in Abuja, requesting consular assistance for her husband’s immediate release, respect for his rights, and a fair hearing.
She said: “He was abducted from our home at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and detained for 6 days for alleged criminal misconduct said to have been committed during his tenure as the Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from August 2016 to July 2019.
“He was arraigned before the high court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Kuje on February 3, 2025, and February 12, 2025, but was denied bail and sent to Kuje Prison until February 27, 2025, because the Judge had a bad cold.
“My husband’s constitutionally guaranteed rights have been repeatedly violated by President Bola Tinubu’s government by being forcefully abducted from his home by heavily armed men of the EFCC without a formal invitation to appear before the Commission and abducting him without an arrest warrant, denying him phone calls to his family and Lawyers, denying him bail and incarceration in Kuje Prison.”
She further asked the American Embassy to assist in securing his immediate release, respect for his rights and a fair hearing.
“Through his Lawyers, he has denied all the charges brought against him but, as a result of these egregious violations of his rights, I am afraid that he will not receive a fair trial as he is entitled. I am also very concerned for his health as he has not been allowed access to his doctors,” he maintained.
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“My husband’s abduction and detention by the EFCC, denial of bail and incarceration in Kuje Prison are nothing but political persecution because he has been a very vocal critic of President Tinubu’s economic policies that have been inflicting unbearable hardships on Nigerians.
“I seek your assistance for his immediate release, respect of his rights and a fair hearing.”
In a separate letter, Professor Yusuf’s three sons, who reside in the US, have appealed to Senator Richard Joseph Durbin (Dick Durbin) for urgent intervention in their father’s case.
Signed by Abdullah Abba Yusuf, Adnan Amin Yusuf and Luqman Ahmad Yusuf, they sought the senator’s help in securing their father’s immediate release, respect for his rights, and a fair hearing.
The children stated that in a letter that their father wrote from the Kuje Correctional Centre.
