News

BREAKING: Court Grants Bail To Former NHIS Boss, Usman Yusuf

Published

10 months ago

February 27, 2025

Editor

Professor Usman Yusuf, the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has been granted bail by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.

Yusuf is facing multiple corruption charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The ruling was delivered by Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu on Thursday morning, though details of the bail conditions remain undisclosed.

Yusuf was arraigned on five counts of corruption, including embezzlement, abuse of office, and the unlawful award of contracts.

The EFCC accused him of approving the purchase of a vehicle at an inflated price of ₦49,197,750—far above the allocated ₦30,000,000.

Additionally, he allegedly awarded a ₦10.1 million training contract to a foundation linked to him, despite only half of the intended beneficiaries participating. Another allegation involved awarding a ₦17.5 million media consultancy contract to his nephew’s company without following due process.

Following his arraignment, Yusuf was remanded in the Kuje correctional facility while awaiting the court’s decision on his bail application, which had been adjourned to February 27.

Despite the charges, Yusuf has dismissed the case as politically motivated.

In a statement from detention, he accused the government of using security agencies to silence him for his outspoken stance on national issues.

He pointed to a recent speech at a youth summit in Bauchi, where he criticized the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and alleged marginalization of Northern Nigeria.

Yusuf described his arrest as a “Gestapo-style” operation, claiming security operatives trailed him after the summit before taking him from his home without prior notice.

He further alleged that while in EFCC custody, he was denied access to legal representation and his family before being transferred to Kuje Prison. In detention, he was placed in the VIP section and encountered various inmates, including those facing terrorism-related charges.

Reflecting on prison conditions, he remarked, “The conditions of Kuje Prison reminded me of my boarding school days. The real criminals are in government, while our youth waste away in detention.”

Yusuf also accused the government of orchestrating his detention as part of a broader crackdown on dissent, arguing that the EFCC’s goal was to discredit and humiliate him.

The EFCC, however, dismissed his claims as an attempt to deflect attention from the charges. The agency maintained that the allegations against Yusuf were supported by evidence and insisted that his failure to meet the conditions of an earlier administrative bail demonstrated his lack of cooperation with investigators.

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”