Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu of the FCT High Court in Kuje has deferred ruling on the bail application of Professor Usman Yusuf, the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to February 27. Yusuf is facing corruption charges.
The judge ordered that Yusuf be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje until the bail ruling is delivered.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has leveled five charges against Yusuf, alleging embezzlement and abuse of office. The charges include approving the purchase of a vehicle for N49,197,750, exceeding the budgeted amount of N30,000,000 during his tenure as NHIS boss in 2016.
Additionally, the EFCC accused Yusuf of retaining private interests in a corporate entity without following due process by awarding a contract worth N10.1 million for the training of 90 individuals, despite only 45 participants being trained.
The EFCC also alleged that Yusuf conferred undue advantage on a corporate entity associated with his nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, by awarding a media and public relations consultancy contract worth N17,500,000.
Yusuf pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During arguments for bail, prosecution counsel Francis Usani informed the court that Yusuf had failed to adhere to the terms of an administrative bail granted by the EFCC, which required him to report bi-weekly to its office. Usani further contended that Yusuf had boasted about his political connections and posed a flight risk if released on bail.
“It took the respondent (EFCC)’s officers discreet surveillance and high-powered intelligence to apprehend the defendant to bring him to court,” he said.
The defence counsel, O.I. Habeeb (SAN) pleaded for the release of the defendant as the alleged offences brought against him are ordinarily bailable.