EX-NHIS BOSS USMAN YUSUF REMANDED IN KUJE PRISON OVER ALLEGED FRAUD BY EFCC

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The ruling came on Monday after Yusuf was arraigned on allegations of financial misconduct and abuse of office.  
 
Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu issued the remand order after Yusuf took his plea in court. The former NHIS boss is facing a five-count amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing him of fraud, abuse of office, and awarding contracts without following due procurement processes between 2016 and 2017.  

The EFCC had arrested Yusuf on January 29, 2024, and subsequently brought him before the court for arraignment on January 30, 2025. Despite pleading not guilty to all charges, his bid for bail was met with a setback.  

During the proceedings, Yusuf’s counsel, O.I. Habeeb (SAN), requested that his client remain in EFCC custody until the bail application was heard. However, Justice Nwecheonwu declined the request, stating that once a defendant is arraigned, custody is transferred from the EFCC to the Nigerian Correctional Service.  

Consequently, the court ordered Yusuf's remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application. The case was adjourned to February 12, 2025, for further proceedings.  
 
Yusuf’s trial marks a significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to combat financial crimes within public institutions. The case is expected to unfold in the coming weeks, with the prosecution set to present its evidence against the former NHIS executive.  

As legal proceedings continue, the case has sparked public interest, with many closely watching the judiciary’s stance on corruption-related cases involving high-profile government officials.