Katsina Elders Demand Unconditional Release of Ex-NHIS Secretary

By Verior Baure, Katsina The Katsina State Elders Forum has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf. The Secretary of the Forum, Alhaji Aliyu Sani Muhammad, while briefing journalists in Katsina, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to free the erstwhile NHIS secretary. He said Yusuf “has not done anything wrong” for exercising his constitutional right of freedom of speech by granting interviews to media houses and revealing “the truth position” of things in the country. He explained that unless democracy is turning to anarchy, the president should prevail on those behind the arrest of the former NHIS executive secretary to release or take him to court instead of what he termed illegal detention. Muhammed said: “As far as the Katsina Elders Forum is concerned, Professor Usman Yusuf has not done anything wrong for exercising his constitutional right of freedom of speech by granting interviews, telling Nigerians the truth and true position. “This man was working in America, earning a handsome salary, the Federal Government of Nigeria went and lobbied him to come back home and assist, he was given a position to head the National Health Insurance Scheme and he was the Executive Secretary for some time.” He cautioned President Tinubu of the consequences of the arrest and continuous detention of the former NHIS Executive Secretary, which he believed, will not be palatable for the country.