The Federal Government should not allow the alleged narcotics crimes linked to Abba Kyari stop his extradition to the United States to face prosecution for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by alleged international Internet fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi and five others.
A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, made this known on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme monitored by The PUNCH.
The lawyer said with the fresh allegations against Kyari by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba; and the Police Service Commission should have immediately dismissed Kyari, who was suspended as head of the Intelligence Response Team last year for alleged collusion with Hushpuppi.
The PUNCH had reported that Kyari was indicted in 2021 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and five others.
FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, adding that Hushpuppi also paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent.
The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California had ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari but eight months after, the IGP and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), footdragged the process.
Whilst still on suspension, the NDLEA on Monday declared Kyari wanted over alleged drug links.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, chronicled how Kyari belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.
The anti-narcotics agency said Kyari contacted one of its officers in Abuja and struck a deal to secure the release of a total of 25kg seized cocaine and offered $61,400 to NDLEA officers who played along until his arrest.
The NDLEA also said it had photo and video evidence against Kyari.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, subsequently announced Kyari’s arrest with four other accomplices but many Nigerians continue to insist on Kyari’s extradition to the US with some persons suspecting that the NDLEA twist is a planned ruse for the embattled cop to evade justice outside the shores of Nigeria.
Commenting on the development on Monday, Effiong said, “The question of his extradition should have been determined before now. Now that the NDLEA has added another aspect to what has become the litany of criminal allegations against Abba Kyari, it, therefore, begs the question; will this slow his extradition or not?
“My perception is that if the Federal Government is truly honest about this case, the starting point is for the Police Service Commission to immediately conclude the investigation against Abba Kyari and apportion punishment accordingly.”
“I am hoping that the Federal Government will not use Abba Kyari’s indictment by the NDLEA as an excuse for not subjecting him to the process of extradition to the US.”
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