The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Abba Kyari

  • Extradition: Abba Kyari knows fate August 29

    Extradition: Abba Kyari knows fate August 29

    Detained Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari will on August 29, know his fate when Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court will render judgment in a suit seeking to extradite him to the United States of America (USA), for trial in alleged internet fraud.

    The date was fixed on Friday after counsel to both parties had adopted their arguments for and against the suit.

    While adopting his brief of arguments, Kyari’s counsel, Nureini Jimoh (SAN), asked the court to refuse the extradition request on the ground that he committed no offence to warrant the Federal Government ferrying him to the United States.

    In addition, the defence counsel informed the court that more than a year before his arrest, he had written the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with a suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abass.

    In the two letters tendered in court, Kyari explained that the purpose was to give confidence to the suspected fraudster and lure him to come to Nigeria where an ambush was already laid for a sting operation by his own strike force.

    Besides, he informed the court that American authorities once commended him with the commitment he was exhibiting in the battle against internet fraud.

    He further told the court that the wire fraud charge brought against him by the American government is not known as an offence under Extradition Act and therefore, should not be allowed by the court to be used to extradite him.

    However, the Federal Government represented by the head, Central Unit Authority (CUA), of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Pius Akutah urged the court to discountenance the arguments of the defendant.

    He said that conditions precedent for extradition have been met by the American government with the filing of charge against Kyari and a formal application that he be brought to America to establish his guilty or innocence in his indictment for internet fraud.

    Kyari is wanted in the U.S. to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft. A grand jury had, on April 29, 2021, filed an indictment against him with the approval of the U.S.

    (Sun)

  • Abba kyari refuses to answer query.

    Suspended Commander of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, DCP Abba Kyari, who is remanded in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, over his involvement in a 25kg cocaine deal, has refused to officially respond to the query issued him by Force Headquarters.

    This is even as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, threatened to strike out the N500 million fundamental right enforcement suit Kyari filed against the Federal Government.

    It was gathered that the embattled detective was handed the query while in NDLEA’s custody, close to a month ago.

    Rather than answer the query, sources told Vanguard that Kyari said he could not write from where he was.

    “That alone is a reply to the query. He stated that he could not write from where he was. He said when he gets out, he would officially answer the query, as he was not in the right frame of mind to answer officially,” a source said.

    Court threatens to strike out his N500m suit against FG

    Meanwhile, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has threatened to strike out the N500 million fundamental right enforcement suit Kyari filed against the Federal Government.

    He had before his arraignment on March 7, instituted the legal action to challenge his arrest and detention by the NDLEA.

    The applicant, among other things, is praying the court to order the FG to pay him N500 million and also tender written apology to him in two national dailies for the unlawful violation of his fundamental human rights.

    Meanwhile, at the resumed proceedings in the matter, yesterday, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday, told the court that he was just served a further affidavit by Kyari’s lawyer, Cynthia Ikenna.

    Sunday noted that the agency served its counter-affidavit on the applicant since February 24.

    He argued that going by rules of the court, the applicant filed the further affidavit out of time.

    Responding, Kyari’s lawyer, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable her to regularize her processes.

    Before he adjourned the matter till April 7, Justice Inyang Ekwo warned that he would strike out the matter for lack of deligent prosecution.

    Justice Ekwo said: “If on next date you are not ready, I will strike out the matter. Put your house in order before the date of hearing.

    “If you have an excuse not to be here on that date, I will take it that you are out to frustrate this matter and I will strike it out.”

    Kyari had in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, accused the NDLEA of assisting drug peddlers to ship in cocaine into the country, alleging that a corrupt officer of the agency framed him up after he went to demand for compensation for a whistleblower that gave information that led to the arrest of a suspect by the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT.

    He told the court that the said suspect had been shipping cocaine into the country from Ethiopia, using all the airports, “with the knowledge of the NDLEA officers”.

    In an affidavit deposed to by one Muhammad Nur Usman, who identified himself as his younger brother, Kyari told the court that NDLEA officials usually cleared the drug baron “and even escort him from the airport to his destination”.

    Narrating the circumstance that led to his present ordeal, Kyari, said: “That on that fateful day, the suspect as usual shipped drugs (cocaine) from Ethiopia to Enugu Airport. The officer of NDLEA cleared him within the airport, then officer of FIB-IRT arrested the suspect with the help of an information.

    “That before the informant accepted to work with the officers of FIB-IRT, they both had an agreement to compensate the informant.

    “That officers of FIB-IRT, having noticed that officers of NDLEA were the ones clearing the said suspect with his drugs (cocaine), they immediately took the suspect to NDLEA and also reported those officers involved in the act.

    “That instead of the NDLEA to handle the matter accordingly and bring their officers involved to book, they decided to frustrate the informant, thereby refusing to compensate the informant.

    “That it was at this juncture that the attention of the DCP Abba Kyari was called, who because the NDLEA officer involved is his friend, decided to intervene for the purpose of compensating the Informant.

    “That the NDLEA officer who refused to compensate the informant was the one who framed DCP Abba Kyari up on a trump-up allegation that he was trying to bribe him.

    “That the agent of the Respondent declared the Applicant wanted because of a mere allegation that he was trying to bribe an NDLEA officer without sufficient proof.

    “That the Nigerian Police Force, based on the allegation of the Respondent arrested the Applicant on February 12, 2022, and handed over to the NDLEA.”

    He maintained that his continued detention amounted to an infringement on his fundamental human rights

    (Vanguard)

  • Court blocks application seeking to stop AGF, Police from extraditing Kyari

    Court blocks application seeking to stop AGF, Police from extraditing Kyari

    A federal high court in Abuja on Thursday refused to grant an ex-parte application seeking to restrain the Nigeria Police and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from arresting and extraditing suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed rejected the application filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Northern Peace Foundation.

    The Foundation through its team of lawyers led by Dr Olukayode Ajulo had argued an ex-parte application before the Judge praying him to grant the temporary order of injunction against the two defendants pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit.

    The ex-parte application dated August 9 2021, was accomplished with a 21 paragraph affidavit of urgency.

    However, after listening to the lawyer. Justice Mohammed refused to grant the request to stop Abba Kyari’s arrest and extradition through ex-parte means and ordered the counsel to turn the ex-parte motion to motion on notice and serve the same on Police and AGF.

    The Judge also directed the applicant to serve all court processes in respect of the case on the two respondents and subsequently fixed September 9, 2021, to mention the case.

    DCP Abba Kyari was allegedly indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in an alleged multi-million naira advanced fee fraud said to have been perpetrated by a Nigerian citizen, Ramon Olorunwa Abbass popularly known as Hussipuppi.

    He is currently suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the Police Service Commission in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.

    Hushpuppi had alleged that he bribed Kyari to arrest and jail “one of his rivals in Nigeria after a dispute over a $1.1 million scam on Qatari business people”.

    But Kyari, whom the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has put an extradition request for, denied any wrongdoing. He said he never collected money from Hushpuppi.

  • N8 Million Bribe: I acted as debt collector for Hushpuppi, says Abba Kyari

    N8 Million Bribe: I acted as debt collector for Hushpuppi, says Abba Kyari

    Abba Kyari on Tuesday denied collecting bribes from Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas to detain a gang member Chibuzo Vincent, saying the notorious fraudster only sent him receipts of N8 million transaction to help him recover a loan.

    Mr Kyari’s comment marked a stark breakaway from his initial defence following his indictment by the United States. The police chief had initially claimed in a Facebook statement on July 29 that he had no ties to Hushpuppi, saying the con artist only sent him N300,000 to help him purchase native wears.

    But following Peoples Gazette’s report of how he collected N8 million from Hushpuppi, Mr Kyari edited his Facebook post on Tuesday night and changed his story as he came under widespread public ridicule and police administrative action. He said the N8 million reported by The Gazette, which was subsequently reported by other media outlets, was for him to collect as an outstanding debt owed to Hushpuppi, and not as a bribe for him to hold Chibuzo for the scamming of Qatari businessperson to pull through as alleged by the FBI in court filings.

    “Nobody demanded or collected any money from Abbas Hushpuppi. He can be interviewed Publicly in the Presence of world media by the people holding him to confirm this. He also called for another case in June 2020 and complained about a financial transaction with a second person whom he said his friend sent 8million naira to and pleaded for his friends money to be recovered.

    “He sent transaction slips and other evidences to prove their case against the person, All these can be verified from the Hushpuppi since he is still in Custody. And it can be verified from person who collected the 8million naira from Hushpuppi’s friend whom they complained about is alive and is in Nigeria. Generally Whatever investigation steps/Tactics that is being taken in most cases especially on the Parties in this type of case from January to June is not for public consumption. This is the true story,” Mr Kyari said

    Mr Kyari deleted the entire post from his Facebook page barely 4 hours later.

     

    Source: People’s gazette

  • US court orders arrest of police Cheif Abba kyari for Alleged $1.1m bribe

     

    A United States District Court has ordered the arrest of the Head, Nigerian Inspector General of Police’sIntelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abba Kyari, for his alleged role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, and his co-conspirators.

     

    A court document obtained by the media revealed that Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Kyari and produce him in the U.S, for his role in large scale international fraud.

     

     

    Hushpuppi, who was arrested in Dubai in June last year, has pleaded guilty to the fraud charges in the U.S. The FBI said Hushpuppi and Kyari, both of whom it alleged had been friends, conspired to launder money.

     

    The FBI also indicted Kyari for allegedly receiving bribes from Hushpuppi to arrest a member of the syndicate in Nigeria. If found guilty of the allegation, Kyari may be jailed for 20 years.

     

    “A criminal complaint and an indictment contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

     

     

     

    “Both conspiracy counts alleged in the indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison term,” the court document revealed. Judge Wright’s order for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.

     

    Meanwhile, Kyari, has denied allegations of conspiracy with Hushpuppi, claiming that he only met him two years ago and never demanded nor collect any bribe from him.

     

    Kyari, who made the clarification on his Facebook page, said those celebrating the allegations by the internet fraudster against him would be disappointed and put to shame.

     

    He said: “Friends: Abbas, who we later came to know as Hushpuppi, called our office about two years ago that somebody seriously threatened to kill his family here in Nigeria, and he sent the person’s phone number and pleaded we take action before the person attacks his family. We traced and arrested the suspect and after investigations, we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life, and they were long time friends who had money issues, hence, we released the suspect on bail.

     

    “Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.

     

    “Later, he saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and said he liked them. He was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300,000 directly to the person’s account. The native clothes and caps (five sets) were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office.

     

    “Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. This is the true story. Vincent is alive, he can be contacted.”

     

    •IGP orders his probe

     

    Inspector General of Police(IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered an investigation into the alleged indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), against Abba Kyari.

     

    Force public relations officer, Frank Mba, who made this known in Abuja, also confirmed the receipt of the said allegations by the FB, by the police force headquarters.

     

    Mba assured the commitment of the Nigerian Police to conduct a through investigation so as not to jeopardise its professional relationship with the FBI and other international partners. The Force PRO in a statement yesterday in Abuja said: “Sequel to the receipt of allegation and indictment processes from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) against one of the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari, the Inspector General of Police,Usman Alkali Baba has ordered an internal review of the allegations. The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of justice and the strengthening of its professional relationship with the FBI and other international partners. Further developments on this case will be communicated to members of the public accordingly.”

     

    •Go clear your name in US- HURIWA

     

    Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) has advised the Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, to file and defend a counter affidavit of accusation of bribery made against him by a fraud suspect, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi in the United States.

     

    A US court had said that Hushpuppi allegedly used Kyari to arrest and jail a co-conspirator, Chibuzo Vincent, after the latter threatened to expose a $1million fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

     

    Although Kyari had denied allegations of conspiracy with Hushpuppi, URIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, yesterday, said Kyari should not be scared of injustice because of the transparent nature of the judicial system in the United States.

     

    “The United States of America is an organised Constitutional democracy, where the rule of law is supreme. So, if a crime suspect makes an affidavit accusation under oath against you, it doesn’t need to be disclaimed in the local media here.

     

    “The best thing to do even before the Federal Bureau of Investigation uses the services of the INTERPOL to hunt you down, as someone who is sure that his conscience is clear, is to take the next available flight to Washington DC or New York, to connect to the court room, then use a legal representation to file and defend yourself through an affidavit evidence to counter what you think is a tissue of falsehood.

     

    “Telling us this cock-and-bull story of how you, a very senior police officer, acted as the agent of a local tailor, is irrelevant and of no moment,” he said.

     

    •PDP demands full investigation

     

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded a forensic investigation into reports by the United States (US) FBI linking head of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, to Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi.

     

    The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, described the news about Kyari’s alleged involvement in receipt of proceeds of international fraud as worrisome and a stain on the integrity of Nigeria.

     

    The opposition party charged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the IGP, Usman Baba, to question Kyari, and if found culpable, he should be handed over to the FBI.

     

    “It is, indeed, disquieting that the integrity of our nation has fallen so abysmally low under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, to the extent that the head of its police intelligence unit is being charged in connection with international fraud.

     

    “Our party demands that the APC administration should not sweep this matter under the carpet given the manifest rapport between Kyari and some top APC leaders.

     

    “We urge President Buhari not to “ease out” this case of corruption but, immediately, restore the integrity and image of our nation, by allowing a forensic investigation on the suspect.

     

    “Moreover, if this Abba Kyari matter is not well handled, it will be a permanent stain on the reputation of our police, security system and our nation at large,” the PDP said.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com