The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called for the release of former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf who is currently under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
NEF in a statement by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jika Jiddere, said the arrest of Yusuf is a deliberate plan to silence political oppositions in the country.
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The statement reads “The Northern Elders Forum received the news of the arbitrary arrest of Professor Usman Yusuf on Wednesday 29th January 2025 around 4:30 pm at his residence in Abuja by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Professor Usman Yusuf is a distinguished personality with high level credibility and unquestionable integrity.
“He is a Professor of Hematology-Oncology and Bone-marrow transplant. He was arraigned before a Federal High Court FCT presided by Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu today Thursday 30th January, 2025.
“However, it was rescheduled for February 3th, 2025.
“The Northern Elders Forum is hereby calling for his release, as it sees his arrest as purely politically motivated to suppress and oppress popular democratic voices that openly challenge the poor public policies and bad governance being imposed on the people by this administration.
“It is a deliberate plan to silence and intimidate the political opposition and to reverse many of the democratic rights won by Nigerians over the years in the fight against dictatorship and all forms of inhuman oppressions.”
