An Abuja High Court has ordered the remand of Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), at Kuje Correctional Centre following his arraignment on fraud charges.
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Yusuf of abusing his office between 2016 and 2017 by awarding contracts without due process. He pleaded not guilty to a five-count amended charge.
His lawyer, O.I. Habeeb, urged the court to allow Yusuf to remain in EFCC custody pending a bail hearing. However, Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu ruled that custody must be transferred to the Nigerian Correctional Service after arraignment. The court adjourned the case to February 12, 2025, for a bail application hearing.
The remand order has drawn criticism, including from former vice president Atiku Abubakar, who described Yusuf as a “fierce and unyielding social critic.” Atiku suggested that Yusuf’s detention could be politically motivated, accusing the Tinubu administration of using state institutions to suppress dissent.
