Former Minister of Commerce, Mr Bello Maitama-Yusuf has been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as one of the members of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Mr Yusuf, 72, was accused of corruption by the Buhari military administration in the early 1980s. He went into exile to avoid prosecution.

In 1979, he had served the administration of Shehu Shagari as the Minister for Internal Affairs and later a Minister of Commerce in 1982.

Mr Yusuf and late Umaru Dikko, Minister of Transport, topped the list of fugitives wanted by the Buhari military administration over alleged corruption.

The latest appointment, approved by President Buhari, will have Mr Yusuf on the railway board that has Ibrahim Alhassan as chairman. Other members are Kayode Opeifa, head of transportation secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory, former police AIG Umar Ambursa, Obiarari Nnamdi, a professor, among others.

The appointment letter obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, reads: “Pursuant to section 5 of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act cap. N129, LFN2004, and all powers enabling the Honourable Minister of Transportation in that behalf, and consequent upon your nomination by the governor of Jigawa State.

“I am pleased to inform you of your appointment by the Honourable Minister, as a member of the Directors of Nigerian Railway Corporation.”

In the letter, it was also said that the appointment was a recognition of “hard work, resilience and steadfastness” of Mr Yusuf in the progress of APC and development of Nigeria and Jigawa State.