The Final Fall & Extradition Countdown:

DCP ABBA KYARI is facing 42 years JAIL Term in United States for Fraud, Corruption-Attorney General of Federation & Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN tells Court

…Charged in FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 under the Extradition Act, Nigeria will hand him over for justice to prevail

*Police inch towards Outright DISMISSAL, NDLEA ready for Prosecution

*Hushpuppi enters plea deal to serve as a live witness against embattled Police Chief in U.S. Court

*Nigeria Police Force ‘ashamed’ Kyari is ruining law enforcement practitioners’ reputation 

*‘Nigeria’s police officer, DCP Abba Kyari was indicted by a Grand Jury with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft’-F.B.I

*BY DANIEL AMAECHI/SPECIAL Anti-Fraud Correspondent, Nigeria & SIMON STEVEN/FOREIGN Correspondent, Los Angeles, USA

THE countdown has begun for the disgraced Deputy Nigeria’s Commissioner of Police, ABBA KYARI to be extradited to United States to face prosecution having been found wanting for corruption, unethical behaviour unbecoming of a security agent over the shady roles played in the $1.1million wire fraud perpetrated by Abass Ramon, a.k.a. Hushpuppi and four others. Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice signed off on the transfer of Kyari to the United States to answer to his crimes. Kyari was charged in FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 under the Extradition Act and Nigeria will hand him over for justice to prevail. 

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF hierarchy is feeling disappointed that Kyari shameful fraudulent behaviour will forever shatter the image of law enforcement practitioners in Nigeria. Few days after the Federal Government approved the request by the United States for suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, to be extradited, Naija Standard heard that there may be discreet moves by both the Police Service Commission, PSC, and and other Police authorities in Abuja to accelerate the processes involved in the outright dismissal of  Kyari from the force.

It was gathered that Police authorities formally queried Abba Kyari and his team on Sunday. He was given 48 hours to explain his involvement in the drug case.

It was further gathered that the Federal Government may have approved the extradition of Kyari to provide him an opportunity to clear himself of charges against him in the US .

This came as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA,  slammed an eight-count charge against Kyari, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, following his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

It was gathered that getting Kyari out rightly dismissed from the force was geared towards preventing the shame that might accompany his trial by NDLEA, following his alleged involvement in a deal after the on-going investigations. It was gathered the moves became necessary based on reports that the Federal Government has approved the request by the United States for Kyari’s extradition after a grand jury, last April 29, filed an indictment against him, with the approval of the US District Court for the Central District of California. Kyari is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft. He was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirate, UAE – based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to commit the crime.

Another source said: “If you recall, the report of the DIG Joseph Egbunike Special Investigation earlier submitted by IGP Usman Alkali Baba was returned and Force Headquarters asked to carry out another investigation on the Hushpuppi allegation.

“They are yet to return the new investigation report to us. But whatever be the case, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice may have considered it expedient to send him to first clear himself of the allegations against him in the US. 

“If he’s exonerated, then it would be easy to determine the case in Nigeria.”

The extradition proceeding initiated by the AGF against Kyari is contained in FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, brought under the Extradition Act. NDLEA files an 8-count charge against Kyari, 6 others.

Kyari, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, was charged alongside four other police officers – ACP Sunday  Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba and Inspector John Nuhu.

Equally cited as defendants in the charge filed on February 28, 2022, were two alleged drug traffickers arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne.

NDLEA, in the charge it filed through a team of lawyers led by its Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday, accused Kyari and the four other members of his IRT, of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55 kilograms.

It alleged that Kyari and his men, who are currently in its custody, unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine seized from the two apprehended drug traffickers, Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

The police officers were said to have committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to Section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Kyari was said to have attempted to bribe a senior officer of the NDLEA with $61,400 at a restaurant in Abuja to prevent the testing of part of the cocaine seized from the two arrested drug pushers.

FG Approves US Request To Extradite Abba Kyari…

The Federal Government has approved the request by the government of the United States (US) to extradite Abba Kyari, the suspended Commander of the Intelligence Response Team and  Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Recall that the US requested Abba Kyari’s extradition over an alleged $1.1million wire fraud involving Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi and four others.

The approval for Abba Kyari’s extradition was made known by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) when he filed an application before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for the DCP’s extradition.

The Federal Government has approved the request by the United States of America to extradite the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The US had requested that Kyari should be extradited over alleged $1.1million wire fraud involving Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi and four others.

The Attorney-General of the Federation made this known in an application filed before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In the application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, and filed under the Extradition Act, Malami said the application was necessitated by a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

These reporters gathered that FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent, allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

Innocenti, who said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.

The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California had ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari almost a year ago. Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021, to deny the allegations, but he later deleted the post after editing it about 12 times.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had recommended the suspension of Kyari, which the Police Service Commission carried out on July 31, 2021.

The police boss had on August 2, 2021, constituted the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.

The Minister of Justice maintained that based on the indictment from the Court in United States, the charges filed against Kyari carries a maximum of 40 years altogether. 

CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavor.”

By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.

Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)

[pff-paystack id=