The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, 3 February 2025, arraigned a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, before Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kuchiako, Kuje.

Yusuf was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on embezzlement, conferring undue advantage, and fraud to the tune of N90.4 million.

Count one reads: “That you, Prof Usman Yusuf, sometime between 2016 and July 2017, whilst being 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 service of the National Health Insurance Scheme, used your position to confer unfair advantage to yourself when you approved the purchase of a vehicle for yourself at the cost of N49,197,750, against the appropriated budget sum of N30 million, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 and punishable under the same section of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

Count two reads: “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 service of the 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 in favour of the GK Kanki Foundation for the purported training of 90 persons, whereas the actual number of participants trained was 45, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 and punishable under the same section of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

Count four reads: “That you, Prof Usman Yusuf, sometime in 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 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 him a contract for media and special public relations consultancy in the sum of N17.5 million, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 and punishable under the same section of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

In view of the defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel Francis Usani prayed the court for a trial date.

The defence counsel, O.I. Habeeb, SAN, did not oppose Usani’s application for a trial date; however, he prayed the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the EFCC.

In her ruling, Justice Nwecheonwu adjourned the matter to 12 February 2025 for hearing on the bail application and remanded the defendant in Kuje Correctional Facility.

Justice Nwecheonwu had, on Thursday last week, rescheduled the hearing after the EFCC sought time to amend the charges against the former NHIS boss.

The Sun