Fraudsters can’t hack into our account ― NHIS

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) declared on Sunday that its account cannot be hacked by fraudsters, even as it announced that a management committee has been set-up to ascertain the actual sum involved in the new multi-million Naira fraud discovered recently in the operations of one of its Health Management Organisations (HMOs).

The NHIS further stated that its account has not been compromised in any way due to the discovery of the fraud in the operations of Clearline International Limited, an HMO registered with the scheme.

The management committee will also ascertain the veracity of the allegations and the circumstances that facilitated the commission of the crime.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the NHIS said the only account it had is the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), which is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The statement signed by the Head of Media and Public Relations, Ayo Osinlu, said the seriousness of the crime, the huge sum of money involved, and the reference to NHIS’ account being hacked in the process have compelled the Scheme to take the step and make the clarifications.

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Mr. Osinlu, who pointed out that the discovery of the fraud has led to the arrest of two persons, one of whom is a staff of the HMO- Clearline International Limited, added that the account of the NHIS, cannot, therefore, be hacked into.

He said: “The NHIS has no account anywhere else outside the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It is therefore not possible or true that the perpetrators of this heinous crime hacked into the account of NHIS in this act.

“That in the spirit of the Scheme’s ongoing rebranding reforms, of which Transparency and Accountability is a major factor, a Management Committee has been constituted the day after the crime was reported, to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, the actual sum involved and the circumstances that facilitated the commission of the crime, among other terms of reference.

“NHIS wishes to reassure its stakeholders and the general public that it will not tolerate any breach of trust or guidelines under its operations, while we also remain committed to the ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the agency as a result-oriented and socially-responsible public institution.”