PROFESSOR USMAN YUSUF, a former Executive secretary of the National health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) who was remanded in prison has been granted bail by Federal High court in Abuja.
The Explainer reported how his family had written to US Embassy in Nigeria to intervene on Yusuf’s pleas over charges filed by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On the ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu didn’t specify the condition of Yusuf’s bail. Yusuf was arraigned on five counts of corruption, including embezzlement, abuse of office, and unlawful award of contracts.
The EFCC accused him of authorizing the purchase of a vehicle at an inflated cost of N49,197,750, far exceeding the budgeted sum of N30,000,000. He is also alleged to have awarded a N10.1 million training contract to a foundation linked to him when only half of the intended beneficiaries participated. Furthermore, he reportedly funnelled a N17.5 million contract to his nephew’s company for media consultancy services without following due process.
Following his arraignment, Yusuf was remanded in the Kuje correctional facility while awaiting the court’s ruling on his bail application, which was initially adjourned to February 27.
Despite the weighty allegations against him, Yusuf has framed his arrest as politically motivated.
He cited a recent speech he delivered at a youth summit in Bauchi, where he criticized the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and alleged marginalization of Northern Nigeria.
According to Yusuf, his abduction-like arrest was carried out by EFCC operatives in a Gestapo-style operation, aimed at humiliating him and sending a message to other critics of the government. He described how he was trailed by security agents after the summit and eventually whisked away from his home without prior notice.
Yusuf detailed his time in EFCC custody, where he was allegedly denied access to legal counsel and his family.
Upon his transfer to Kuje Prison, he was placed in the VIP section, where he interacted with a variety of inmates, including those facing terrorism-related charges. He recounted stories of prisoners who had been held for years without trial, highlighting the overcrowding and systemic failures of Nigeria’s justice system.
“The conditions of Kuje Prison reminded me of my boarding school days,” Yusuf stated. “The real criminals are in government, while our youth waste away in detention.”
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His statement from prison also accused the government of orchestrating his detention as part of a broader campaign against dissenters. He claimed that the EFCC’s primary aim was to dehumanize him and tarnish his reputation.
However, the EFCC has dismissed Yusuf’s claims as a diversionary tactic to evade justice. The anti-graft agency insisted that the charges against him are backed by solid evidence and that his failure to comply with an earlier administrative bail condition showed his unwillingness to cooperate with investigators.
