The leadership of the Northern Elders’ Forum has condemned the arrest and detainment of the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Usman Yusuf.
The forum described Yusuf’s arrest as an attempt by the present administration led by President Bola Tinubu to silence the opposition.
Recall that Yusuf was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged abuse of office during his tenure as the ES of the NHIA.
Following his arrest and arraignment, a Federal Capital Territory Cooley declined his bail application to allow the EFCC time to amend the charges against Yusuf.
Reacting to the action of the anti-graft agency and the decision of the court, the NEF said Yusuf’s arrest and detention was politically motivated.
A statement by NEF’s spokesperson, Abubakar Jiddere alleged that there is a calculated move to suppress democratic voices.
He called for the immediate release of Yusuf while stating that the former NHIA boss is a distinguished personality with high level credibility and unquestionable integrity.
“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 in human oppressions,” Jiddere said.