By Abubakar Yunusa
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has condemned the arrest of Professor Usman Yusuf, calling it a politically motivated attempt to silence opposition voices.
The forum has demanded his immediate release, describing the incident as an attack on democratic freedoms.
Professor Yusuf, a renowned Hematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant specialist and former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), was arrested at his Abuja residence on Wednesday, 29 January 2025, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Reacting to the development, NEF spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere said in a statement on Thursday that the arrest was a calculated move to intimidate opposition figures.
He stressed that Professor Yusuf, known for his integrity and outspokenness on governance issues, was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, 30 January. However, the case was adjourned to 3 February 2025.
“The Northern Elders Forum received the news of the arbitrary arrest of Professor Usman Yusuf with deep concern.
“His detention is clearly an attempt to suppress and oppress popular democratic voices that challenge poor public policies and bad governance,” Jiddere stated.
He further alleged that the arrest was part of a broader plan to silence political opposition and undermine the democratic rights that Nigerians have fought for over the years.
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