According to a report by Trust TV, Professor Usman Yusuf, the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has launched a blistering attack on Nigeria’s security and anti-graft agencies, accusing them of being partisan tools used by the political class to suppress dissent.
Speaking in a high-stakes interview on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Yusuf shared a deeply personal account of his recent legal troubles, describing his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as an “abduction” designed to silence his vocal criticism of the current administration.
Yusuf, who was remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in early 2025 over allegations of a N90.4 million fraud, maintains that the charges are politically motivated.
He argued that agencies like the EFCC and the police have deviated from their constitutional mandates to act as enforcers for the ruling elite.
“This is nonsense. This is what I’m saying again and again. This is just politics of our agencies. Our agencies are being used as dogs for politicians. I know that I’m saying this firsthand,” Yusuf declared.
The Professor’s remarks echo a growing sentiment among civil society groups regarding the perceived “weaponization” of state institutions against opposition figures and social critics.
Yusuf challenged the legality of the operation that led to his detention, drawing a distinction between a standard police arrest and the tactics used by other agencies.
He specifically cited the rhetoric of state governors referencing “Governor Rasay” likely referring to a regional governor’s similar description of security overreach to categorize his experience.
“They came to my house and abducted me. It’s an abduction because you don’t have an arrest warrant. The police has the authority to pick you up without a warrant. Any other agency must show an arrest warrant. They came to a house, my house, picked me up. I asked for arrest warrant. They said they don’t need it,” he recounted.
Under Nigerian law, while the police have broad powers of arrest, other specialized agencies are generally required to produce a warrant unless a crime is being committed in their presence a point Yusuf used to highlight what he calls a “breach of fundamental rights.”
The Professor’s ordeal culminated in a three-week stint at the Kuje Correctional Facility following his arraignment by Justice Chinyere Nwecheonwu of the FCT High Court.
He described the period of detention as a calculated attempt to break his spirit and end his public commentary on national issues.
“They kept me in their custody 7 days and then they put me in Kuje prison for 3 weeks thinking they will silence me,” Yusuf stated.
Watch the video starting from 1:50 to 2:30