A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Usman Yusuf, who is facing corruption charges.

Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu ordered Mr Yusuf’s release from the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje on Thursday, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Mr Yusuf on a five-count charge, alleging embezzlement and abuse of office during his tenure at NHIA, formerly the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2016.

According to the EFCC, he approved the purchase of a vehicle for N49.2 million, exceeding the budgeted N30 million. He is also accused of awarding an N10.1 million contract to the GK Kanki Foundation for training 90 persons despite only 45 participants being trained.

The EFCC also alleged that Yusuf improperly awarded Lubekh Nigeria Limited, a company linked to his nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, a N17.5 million media consultancy contract.

Further accusations include engaging in fraudulent procurement processes and mismanaging NHIA funds for personal benefit. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.

During the bail hearing, defence counsel O.I. Habeeb (SAN) argued that the charges were bailable and urged the court to release his client.

However, EFCC’s prosecutor, Francis Usani, opposed the bail, citing Mr Yusuf’s failure to comply with an earlier administrative bail that required him to report bi-weekly to the EFCC office.

Mr Usani also claimed that Mr Yusuf boasted about his political connections and posed a flight risk, requiring intensive surveillance to apprehend him before his arraignment.

“It took the respondent (EFCC)’s officers’ discreet surveillance and high-powered intelligence to apprehend the defendant to bring him to court,” he said.

On 29 January, EFCC operatives arrested Mr Yusuf at his Abuja residence following investigations into allegations of financial mismanagement and abuse of office.

He was accused of inflating the ICT budget from N4.975 billion to N8.7 billion and approving unauthorised payments beyond his limit.

The EFCC alleges that these transactions were carried out without proper oversight, leading to a significant misappropriation of funds meant for the improvement of Nigeria’s health insurance system.

Sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Yusuf is also under scrutiny for awarding contracts to family members and approving deals without due process.

A petition dated 31 October 2018, signed by one Attahiru Ibrahim, reportedly triggered the investigation into these allegations.

The petition detailed instances of alleged financial misconduct and procurement irregularities under Mr Yusuf’s leadership, leading to calls for accountability from anti-corruption agencies.

Further findings indicate that Mr Yusuf’s tenure was marred by controversy, including allegations of high-handedness, favouritism in contract allocations, and repeated violations of financial regulations.

The former NHIA boss had previously been suspended by the Federal Government in 2017 over similar corruption allegations but was controversially reinstated in 2018.