Former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of attempting to silence dissenting voices.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Sunday, Yusuf claimed his arrest and detention were deliberate moves to intimidate him and discourage his criticism of the government.
In February, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Yusuf on charges of alleged fraud.
He pleaded not guilty to a five-count charge before Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
Reflecting on his experience, Yusuf described his time in Kuje prison as a period of “retreat for rest, prayers, and reflection,” saying the ordeal only strengthened his resolve.
Detailing the events of January 29, Yusuf recounted how operatives, claiming to be from the EFCC, entered his home without presenting an arrest warrant.
“At about 6:30 p.m., my wife came upstairs and said some men had entered the house.
They said they wanted to see me, claiming I had been expecting them,” he said.
“They quickly showed their badges to confirm they were from the EFCC and said they had come to take me.”
Yusuf also alleged that the operatives prevented him from changing clothes and blocked his wife from bringing him fresh clothing.