Police storm NHIS building, fire tear gas at staff

About 50 policemen stormed the Headquarters of the National Health Insurance Scheme, to protect the suspended Executive secretary, Usman Yusuf, who was making his way into the premises.

According Punch, the policemen fired tear gas at staff who tried to prevent Usman from entering the building.

The estranged NHIS boss has refused to accept the decision taken by the governing council of the scheme to suspend him. He insisted that the board had no powers to do so.

Recall that the NHIS boss was suspended indefinitely by the governing council of NHIS following allegations of gross misconduct and fraud levelled against him.

The board took the decision after a two-day closed door meeting held at the scheme's head office.

Yusuf found 'guilty'

Yusuf was previously suspended as Secretary by Prof. Adewole in June 2017, following allegations of monumental fraud, gross abuse of office and nepotism.

After the initial three-month suspension handed down to Yusuf in June, the health minister extended the suspension indefinitely after the panel that probed allegations against him found him "culpable in many areas" of his performance as Executive Secretary.

He was recalled by President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2018, with investigations still pending, an action that drew widespread condemnation.