Crime
Fraud Charges: Ex-NHIS Chief Pleads Not Guilty As Court Adjourns Bail Hearing
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, at the Kuje Correctional Centre following his arraignment on fraud charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday brought Yusuf before Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu on an amended five-count charge relating to alleged abuse of office between 2016 and 2017.
The former NHIS boss is accused of conferring undue advantages on himself and awarding contracts without following due process.
READ MORE: Court Postpones Trial Of Ex-NHIS Boss
Yusuf pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His lawyer, O.I. Habeeb, requested that he be held in the custody of the EFCC rather than in prison.
However, Justice Nwecheonwu denied the request, stating that once a defendant is arraigned, custody is transferred to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The court subsequently ordered Yusuf’s remand in Kuje Prison and adjourned the case to February 12, 2025, for the hearing of his bail application.
Atiku Reacts, Alleges Political Persecution
Yusuf’s detention has drawn criticism from former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who suggested that the case was politically motivated.
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku wrote, “Two days ago, the nation was jolted by the arrest of Professor Usman Yusuf, a fierce and unyielding social critic.
“Though the charges against him have been festering since the previous administration, it is impossible to ignore the strong likelihood that his detention is politically motivated.”
The former Vice President accused the Tinubu-led administration of using state institutions to suppress critics, stating, “The Tinubu government, despite being riddled with individuals who themselves are embroiled in scandals and investigations by both local and international authorities, continues to use the very machinery of the state to silence its critics. It weaponises these pending investigations to suppress all opposition.”
Yusuf, known for his outspoken views on governance, has been a vocal critic of successive administrations.
A former Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC), Jimoh Yisawu, has been granted bail in the sum of ₦500 million by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading not guilty to an eight-count charge of alleged money laundering filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yisawu was arraigned on Monday before Justice Inyang Ekwo in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/361/2026, over allegations that he violated the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
SEE MORE: EFCC Files Fraud Charges Against Ex-MDs of Warri, PH Refineries
According to the EFCC, the former refinery boss allegedly indirectly converted more than $789,950, said to be proceeds of unlawful activity, in contravention of Section 18(2)(b) of the Act and punishable under Section 18(3).
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Yisawu made cash payments exceeding $789,950 to one Samaila Bala without using any financial institution, contrary to Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
The commission also accused him of making additional cash payments totalling $122,600 through one Rasheed Olaitan Yusuf, also without routing the transactions through a financial institution.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all eight counts when they were read to him in court.
Following his plea, defence counsel Wale Balogun (SAN) urged the court to grant his client bail, noting that the EFCC had earlier released him on administrative bail after seizing his international passport.
Balogun appealed to the court to maintain the same bail conditions, arguing that his client needed to prepare adequately for his defence while out on bail.
However, prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN) opposed the application, urging the court to consider the EFCC’s counter-affidavit challenging the defendant’s request for bail.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the offences contained in the charge were bailable and ruled that Yisawu was entitled to bail.
Relying on Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the judge granted the former WRPC boss bail in the sum of ₦500 million, with one surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must be a responsible Nigerian with landed property in Abuja and must provide proof of ownership of the property.
Justice Ekwo also directed Yisawu to surrender his international passport and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval from the court.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the judge ordered that the former refinery chief remain in the custody of the EFCC.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 25, 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been granted bail in the sum of N20 million after pleading not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the ICPC accused him of forging academic credentials, including a degree certificate allegedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The anti-corruption agency also alleged that the former minister presented a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate during his ministerial screening in 2023.
SEE ALSO: DSS Arraigns Five for Allegedly Hiding Wanted Ex-Gov Timipre Sylva
The defendant, who served in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology from August 16, 2023, until his resignation on October 6, 2025, denied all the allegations after the charges were read before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Following a bail application by his lead counsel, Chief James Onoja (SAN), the court admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the surety must be a civil servant resident in Abuja and not below Grade Level 15. The court further directed the surety to depose to an affidavit of means.
As part of the bail conditions, the former minister was ordered to surrender his international passport and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Nnaji’s arraignment followed his arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 1, shortly after returning to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The ICPC had earlier confirmed that the arrest was carried out to facilitate investigations into the allegations against him.
The case is expected to proceed with the presentation of evidence when trial begins later this month.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Ahmed Dikko, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over an alleged N1.32bn money laundering scheme linked to the rehabilitation of the state-owned refinery.
Dikko was docked before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/360/2026 alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited.
The former refinery boss, who headed the Port Harcourt refinery from March 2020 for about four years, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The EFCC alleged that Dikko laundered the sum of N1,322,839,112.70, said to be proceeds linked to contractors engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, through cash property purchases, undisclosed bank retentions, concealment of funds through third parties and unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.
ALSO READ: Global Demand for Nigerian Crude Higher Outstrips Supply – FG
According to the anti-graft agency, one of the charges alleged, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko… did directly make cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of N218,375,000 to one Hadeija Bashir for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja without passing through a financial institution,” contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The commission further alleged in count eight, “That you Ahmed Adamu Dikko… on or about the 26th of June, 2023… disguised the origin of the sum of N328,710,337.50 paid into the GTBank Account… operated by Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited by OMSA Integrated Services Limited from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export when you knew that the said sum… constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.”
In count 11, the EFCC accused the former refinery boss of unlawfully converting foreign currency, alleging, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko between October 2022 and May 2025, did convert the aggregate sum of $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro, which amount did not form part of your known lawful earnings as a former public officer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.”
Following his plea, defence counsel, Okechukwu Ajunwa (SAN), urged the court to admit his client to bail pending trial, while EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), opposed the application.
In a ruling, Justice Ekwo admitted Dikko to bail in the sum of N150m with one surety in like sum.
The judge held that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.
He also directed the defendant to surrender his international passport and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody until he fulfilled the bail conditions.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 12, 13 and 14, 2026, for trial.
Courtesy – The Punch
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