The family of Prof Usman Yusuf, the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has asked the U.S. government to help secure his release from detention in Nigeria. They believe he is being unfairly held due to his criticism of the government.

In a letter dated February 18, 2025, Prof Yusuf’s wife, Iftikar Abdallah Yusuf, wrote to the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, requesting urgent consular support. She claimed her husband was unlawfully detained and is facing political persecution.

Their three sons—Abdullah, Adnan, and Luqman—also sent a separate letter to U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin, asking him to step in. They expressed concerns about their father’s health and right to a fair trial.

Prof Yusuf is facing five charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), including embezzlement and abuse of office during his time at NHIA from 2016 to 2019. He has pleaded not guilty.

On February 12, the court postponed his bail decision to February 27, and he is currently being held at Kuje Correctional Facility in Abuja.

According to his wife, EFCC officers stormed their home and took Prof Yusuf without showing an arrest warrant or prior notice.

She accused the Nigerian government of violating his rights, preventing him from meeting his lawyer, and denying him medical care.

She believes her husband is being punished for criticizing President Tinubu’s economic policies, which she says have made life difficult for Nigerians.

His children also fear for his well-being, saying the EFCC has refused to let him see his doctors.

As the legal process continues, the family hopes the U.S. will step in to support their call for justice.