in Politics

President Tinubu Treated Me Like A Criminal And Tried To Silence Me With EFCC, According to Sa Ex-NHIS boss Yusuf

 

Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to silence him. Yusuf claimed he was treated like a criminal for speaking out against the government. In an interview with Arise Television, Yusuf expressed that his recent detention by the EFCC was part of a concerted effort to intimidate and suppress his voice. He revealed that the government deliberately denied him bail in an attempt to “shake him up” and force his silence, although he insisted that he would not be easily silenced.

According to report from Vanguard News, in February, the EFCC charged Yusuf with a five-count fraud allegation, to which he pleaded not guilty. Yusuf recounted his experience when EFCC agents came to his home on January 29 without an arrest warrant. Initially, they entered without informing him of their intentions, only later displaying their badges. He described how the agents prevented him from changing clothes and stopped his wife from bringing him an alternative outfit. During his transportation to the EFCC office, he was treated as though he were a dangerous criminal, comparing the experience to the capture of notorious bandit leader Kachalla Bello Turji.

Yusuf spent six days in EFCC custody before his arraignment and was denied bail, which he deemed unconstitutional, as bail is a constitutionally guaranteed right for most accused individuals unless the charges are related to capital offenses or terrorism. He was subsequently moved to Kuje Prison for an additional 24 days. Yusuf described his imprisonment as a time for rest, prayer, and reflection, which he said ultimately strengthened his resolve.

Yusuf expressed that the purpose of his treatment was to silence any opposition to the government. He pointed out the irony of this behavior coming from President Tinubu, who had once fought against military dictatorship as a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). He warned that the administration’s actions were an attempt to stifle democratic criticism and could lead to the creation of a “one-party dictatorial state.”

Yusuf was initially appointed as the NHIS executive secretary in 2016 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, he faced allegations of corruption, which led to his suspension in 2017 and 2018. He was eventually removed from office in 2019.

EXCLUSIVE: Labour Party Chieftain Speaks On Peter Obi’s Possible Defection To PDP
Rivers-Assembly

2027: Rivers NASS supports Tinubu’s campaign for reelection