Alleged Fraud: EFCC to arraign ex-NHIS boss Usman Yusuf today

A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Head of Media and Publicity for the Commission, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this to Channels Television in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.

Professor Yusuf was arrested by EFCC operatives who raided his residence on Wednesday.

According to the Commission, he will be arraigned on Thursday 30th January, 2025.

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The arrest followed an ongoing investigation into an allegation that he inflated ICT budget from N4.975 billion to N8.7 billion and approved payments beyond his approval limit.

A document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday night revealed that EFCC is also investigating Mr Yusuf for awarding contracts to family members.

“He awarded contracts to Lubekh Nigeria Limited, a company where his nephew Khalifa Hassan Yusufu is a director,” a top EFCC source told PREMIUM TIMES, adding that he is also being held for financial mismanagement.

The former NHIS boss is also being probed for abuse of office for allegedly “using his position for personal gains, including approving contracts without due process and awarding contracts to companies without competence.”

PREMIUM TIMES learned that investigation into these allegations was prompted by a petition dated 31 October, 2018, signed by one Attahiru Ibrahim.

The petition alleged fraudulent practices and impunity perpetrated by Prof. Usman Yusuf during his tenure as Executive Secretary of NHIS

Yusuf was relieved of his appointment in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari seven months after he was recommended for dismissal by a fact-finding panel set up by the Federal Ministry of Health over alleged mismanagement of N919m.