A Nigerian living in the United States, Ifeanyi Ozoh, has been sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a $6 million bribery scheme targeting the Medicaid insurance program.

The U.S. Department of Justice revealed in a statement by Attorney Alamdar Hamdani that Ozoh conspired to defraud Medicaid by bribing marketers and parents to bring insured patients to a non-existent dental clinic. The scheme involved filing fraudulent claims for treatments that never occurred.

Ozoh, 54, was convicted on February 14 after a three-day trial. He was also ordered to pay $4.9 million in restitution and will undergo three years of supervised release following his prison term.

At the sentencing hearing, the court emphasized Ozoh’s central role in orchestrating the scam, highlighting his efforts to secure kickbacks and manipulate the Medicaid system for personal gain.

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has expressed its appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his swift intervention in the ongoing crisis at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

This development follows President Tinubu’s decisive action on Wednesday, when he instructed the Minister of Education to dissolve the university’s governing council and remove the recently appointed Vice Chancellor, Professor Benard Odoh, along with the registrar.

This occured days after MDCAN declared a warning strike in protest of the exclusion of medical professionals from the list of eligible candidates for the Vice Chancellor position at the university.

The association had raised concerns about the lack of representation for doctors in key administrative positions, calling for a fair and inclusive process that would allow qualified medical professionals to contest for such positions.

Dr. Amaechi Nwachukwu, the chairman of MDCAN’s Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital branch, spoke to the media, expressing gratitude to President Tinubu for addressing their concerns.

Nwachukwu praised the President’s response, stating that his actions demonstrated that he is a leader who listens to the needs of the people and is committed to doing what is right for the nation’s institutions.

“I’m pleased that President Tinubu has taken decisive steps to resolve the crisis at UNIZIK,” Nwachukwu said.

“Just three days ago, MDCAN began our warning strike, and we held a press conference in support of our national body’s stance.

We called for the removal of the VC, the dissolution of the council, and the re-advertisement of the Vice Chancellor position to allow medical professionals to be included as potential candidates.

The President’s decision shows that he is committed to making sure things are done the right way.”

In addition to the resolution at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nwachukwu emphasized other key issues the association hopes the President will address.

Among their demands is a call for doctors working in universities and other government parastatals to be paid according to the consolidated salary structure, ensuring fair compensation for medical professionals.

Furthermore, the association raised concerns regarding the recent review of their salary structure by the federal government, which included a 35 percent increase in basic salary.

According to MDCAN, some institutions have failed to implement this increase, while others have yet to pay the arrears owed to medical personnel.

“We urge President Tinubu to look into these matters as well,” Nwachukwu added.

“The welfare of medical professionals is critical, and we believe that with his intervention, we can ensure that these issues are addressed promptly.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concerns over the worsening economic crisis in Northern Nigeria, attributing it to the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a communique issued by National Publicity Secretary Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba on November 20, the ACF called for a review of these policies, noting their adverse impact on the region.

“The current Federal Government’s policies continue to worsen the precarious conditions in Arewa. Economic reforms, while necessary, should not impoverish the people they aim to serve,” the ACF stated.

The forum also highlighted escalating insecurity, poor educational outcomes, and inadequate electricity supply as major challenges.

It urged the Federal Government to ensure security, address the growing food crisis, and embrace constructive criticism to improve governance.

Furthermore, the ACF advised northern governors to adopt coordinated strategies in critical areas such as security, education, and agriculture to mitigate the region’s challenges.