Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu of the FCT High Court Kuje has postponed the ruling on the bail application of Professor Usman Yusuf, the former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), who faces corruption charges. The ruling will now take place on February 27.

Until then, Justice Nwecheonwu ordered that Yusuf be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Yusuf with five counts related to alleged embezzlement and improper actions during his time as NHIS boss in 2016. These include approving the purchase of a vehicle for N49,197,750, exceeding the budgeted N30,000,000, and awarding a contract for N10.1 million for the training of 45 individuals, despite claiming 90 trainees. Additionally, Yusuf is accused of having a private interest in a company, which he allegedly used to award a media consultancy contract worth N17.5 million to his nephew, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf.

Yusuf pleaded not guilty to the charges. In response to the bail application, prosecution counsel Francis Usani argued that Yusuf had violated the terms of his administrative bail granted by the EFCC, which required him to report bi-weekly. Usani also claimed that Yusuf had boasted about his political connections and was likely to abscond if released on bail.

Defending the former NHIS boss, O.I. Habeeb (SAN) requested Yusuf’s release, asserting that the offenses he faces are ordinarily bailable.