The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Usman Yusuf, a former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), on charges of fraud.
Dele Oyewale, an EFCC spokeswoman, confirmed the arrest to The Cable.
Yusuf was arrested by EFCC agents at his home on Wednesday.
According to Oyewale, the former executive secretary would be arraigned today at Court 44 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Kuje.
According to a court document viewed by TheCable, the EFCC charged Yusuf with allegedly using his position at the time to provide himself an unfair benefit by sanctioning the purchase of a vehicle for N49,197,750 instead of the authorised N30,000,000.
The EFCC also accused Yusuf of retaining private interest in the corporate entity known as GK Kanki Foundation, and without due process, awarding a contract in the sum of N10.1m, in favour of the GK Kanki Foundation, for the purported training of 90 persons — when the actual number of trainees was 45.
“That you, Prof Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and being a public officer in the Services of National Health Insurance Scheme knowingly held a private interest in the corporate entity known as: Zaramat Global Services Limited, and without due procurement processes, awarded a contract in the sum of N771,428.58 Naira, in favour of Zaramat Global Services Limited for a training programme on Risk Management and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 54 Public Procurement Act, 2007, and punishable under the Section 45 (2) and (3) of the same Act,” the document reads.
“That you, P.of Usman Yusuf sometime between 2016 and 2017 whilst being the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court used your position to confer an undue advantage upon yourself and knowingly acquired a private interest in an entity known as Lubekh Nigeria Limited owned by your nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, by awarding to him a contract for media and special public relations consultancy in the sum of N17,500.000.00, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 and punishable under the same Section of the Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act, 2000.”
Then-President Muhammadu Buhari named Usman as executive secretary of the NHIS in 2016.
He was suspended by the health minister in 2017 and the NHIS board in 2018 due to allegations of corruption and other irregularities in the scheme’s operation.
He was later ousted as NHIS executive secretary after going on administrative leave in 2019.