The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Kuje has set February 27 to decide on the bail application of Professor Usman Yusuf, the former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), who is facing serious corruption charges.
Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu ordered Yusuf’s remand at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje pending the court’s ruling on his bail request. The decision comes as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pursues a five-count charge against the former NHIS boss, accusing him of embezzlement and abuse of office.
The EFCC alleged that in 2016, Yusuf unlawfully approved the purchase of a vehicle for N49,197,750, far exceeding the budgeted N30,000,000. The anti-graft agency also claimed that he had a personal stake in a corporate entity that secured a contract of N10.1 million for the training of 90 individuals, though only 45 were actually trained.
Further allegations point to a conflict of interest involving Yusuf’s nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, who was awarded a media and public relations consultancy contract worth N17,500,000. The prosecution insists that the transactions violated procurement regulations and were orchestrated for personal gain.
Despite the charges, Yusuf pleaded not guilty. His legal counsel, O.I. Habeeb, SAN, argued that the offenses were bailable and urged the court to grant his client freedom while the trial proceeds.
Opposing the bail, EFCC counsel Francis Usani raised concerns over the defendant’s past conduct. He told the court that Yusuf had failed to adhere to the conditions of an earlier administrative bail, which required him to report to the EFCC office bi-weekly. Usani further alleged that the defendant had boasted about his political connections and posed a flight risk.
“It took discreet surveillance and high-level intelligence for EFCC operatives to track and bring the defendant before the court,” Usani stated, emphasizing the need to keep him in custody.
As the legal battle intensifies, all eyes are on the February 27 hearing, where the court’s decision on Yusuf’s bail application could shape the next phase of the high-profile corruption case.