Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf, has accused President Bola Tinubu of weaponizing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to silence dissenting voices.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Yusuf described his recent detention and prosecution as politically motivated efforts to suppress his outspoken criticism of the government.
In February, the EFCC arraigned Yusuf on five counts of alleged fraud, charges he has denied. Reflecting on his ordeal, he claimed the government deliberately denied him bail to intimidate him.
“This government deliberately denied me bail to shake me up… all to try and silence me. But I am not someone who can be silenced,” he stated.
Yusuf recounted his arrest on January 29th, alleging EFCC operatives stormed his home without a warrant, initially failing to identify themselves properly. He also claimed he was denied the chance to change clothes and that his wife was barred from providing him with alternative attire.
Comparing his treatment to that of a notorious bandit leader, Yusuf said he was paraded “as if I were Kachalla Bello Turji.”
After six days in EFCC custody, Yusuf was arraigned but denied bail, which he described as a violation of his constitutional rights. He spent an additional 24 days in Kuje Prison, a period he characterized as “a retreat for rest, prayers, and reflection.”
Yusuf accused President Tinubu’s administration of trying to crush democratic opposition and warned of a creeping move toward “a one-party dictatorial state.”
“It’s ironic that a president who once fought military dictatorship under NADECO is now using state institutions to silence critics,” he added.
Neither the Presidency nor the EFCC has publicly responded to Yusuf’s allegations.
Yusuf, appointed NHIS Executive Secretary by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016, was suspended twice over corruption allegations before his final removal in 2019.
