Former NHIA Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, Speaks Out on Ordeal
Prof. Usman Yusuf, the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), currently facing corruption allegations, has shared his harrowing experience at the hands of security operatives and officials of the federal correctional service,Daily Trust reports.
A Professor of Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Yusuf has been an outspoken critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and policies. His troubles reportedly began after a viral interview in which he criticized Nigeria’s diplomatic shift towards France, among other government policies. Following this, he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and charged with five counts, including alleged embezzlement and self-enrichment during his tenure at the NHIA in 2016.
Yusuf pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On Wednesday, an FCT High Court deferred its ruling on his bail application. Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu ordered that he be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje, Abuja, until the bail ruling on February 27.
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Following the ruling, Yusuf described the entire situation as a calculated attempt by President Tinubu to silence him.
“I have full confidence in my legal team to vigorously defend me against the baseless, recycled falsehoods brought against me by the EFCC,” he stated.
He expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support from Nigerians at home and abroad, vowing not to be silenced by what he termed Tinubu’s “dictatorial and autocratic leadership.” He urged Nigerians to resist what he called “dangerous tendencies reminiscent of Nigeria’s dark days under military rule.”
Arrest and Detention
Yusuf recounted how he had been under surveillance since he began publicly criticizing President Tinubu’s policies. He claimed security agents had been physically and electronically tracking him and his family.
The turning point, he said, was his participation in the Northern Youths Summit in Bauchi last month.
Arrest at Home
On the evening of January 29, 2025, as he prepared to break his fast, two men in black suits arrived at his home, claiming he knew they were coming. They introduced themselves as EFCC operatives sent to escort him to their headquarters.
“I asked for their badges, which they showed me, apologizing for the oversight. When I requested an arrest warrant, they said they didn’t need one. I also questioned why I had not received any prior invitation before this abrupt visit,” Yusuf recounted.
Denied the opportunity to change clothes or even allow his wife to bring him a change, he stepped outside to find five armed mobile policemen stationed around his house.
In the ensuing commotion, his wife confronted the operatives, while his 14-year-old daughter was visibly shaken. He was prevented from comforting her and was forcibly taken away.
“The lead operative angrily seized my phone and bundled me into their vehicle. As we sped to the EFCC headquarters—sometimes against the flow of traffic—the officers were high-fiving each other as if they had just captured a notorious criminal,” he said.
Upon arrival, he was handed a set of charges to sign without explanation. His request for water to break his fast was granted, but he was denied any contact with his family.
Later that night, he was placed in a crowded detention cell, where he was offered tea and water by fellow detainees. Despite the circumstances, he noted that the detainees treated him with respect.
Court Appearance and Further Detention
On January 30, 2025, he was informed that he would be taken to court. At the EFCC premises, a photographer was stationed to capture images of him—unshaven, in slippers, and wearing the same clothes from his arrest—an act he believed was meant to humiliate and weaken him.
“When I got into the bus, I joked that they had forgotten to put handcuffs and leg chains on me. They laughed and said, ‘Haba Oga, e no reach dat level,’” he recalled.
His case was adjourned to February 3 because EFCC lawyers were unprepared, extending his detention by another four days.
Back at the EFCC, his wife brought him fresh clothes and food—the first meal he had in nearly 40 hours. He reminded her that their fight was not with the EFCC but with what he called “President Tinubu’s corrupt and tyrannical government.” Her apology to an EFCC operative from the night of his arrest led to his transfer to a single-occupancy cell.
Life in Kuje Prison
On February 3, the court ordered that he be remanded in Kuje Prison until February 12, pending his bail application hearing.
Describing his time in Kuje, he noted that while the name evokes fear, his experience was different. He found the prison staff to be professional and respectful, though the conditions were harsh.
Housed in the segregation unit for VIP inmates, he spent nights locked in a small, hot cell and was only allowed outside for 13 hours a day. The prison functioned like a boarding school, with inmates maintaining order and cleanliness.
“I met young men accused of being Boko Haram members, bandits, IPOB militants, Shiite protesters, armed robbers, and more. Many had been awaiting trial for over 10 years,” he said.
With Kuje Prison designed to hold 560 inmates but now housing 960—79% of whom are awaiting trial—he described his time there as an eye-opening experience.
“I considered my stay in Kuje a blessing—an education I could never have received in any classroom. It was a privilege to hear the stories of these young men. I promised to do my part to advocate for them upon my release.”
