The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday raided the Abuja home of a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, and arrested him for alleged N4 billion fraud, amongst others.
PREMIUM TIMES exclusively gathered that EFCC operatives arrested the professor of haematology-oncology and bone marrow transplantation in his house in the presence of his wife and children at about 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
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.
Sources familiar with the development told our correspondent that Yusuf is currently being held and grilled in EFCC custody.
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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.”
ALSO READ: EFCC recovers N900 million for NHIS
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.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC – Dele Oyewale confirmed Mr Yusuf’s arrest to PREMIUM TIMES.
“Yes, Mr Yusuf is in our custody, he’ll be arraigned in court on Thursday,” Mr Oyewale said.
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