By Kola Alhassan
The Federal Government on Thursday gave nod to the United States’ request to extradite the detained Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.
IkejaBird checks revealed that Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,Abubakar Malami, made this known in an application filed before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Malami said the U.S requested the extradition of Kyari over the alleged $1.1million fraud involving Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi and four others.
Sources said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi sought 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 claimed he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, also alleged that the latter paid N8m or $20,600 to Kyari for the arrest and detention of Vincent.
The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California, however, ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari.
On July 29, 2021, Kyari denied the allegations on his Facebook page.He deleted the post thereafter.
He was suspended on July 31,2021.
However,on August 2, 2021, the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, was formed to probe the allegations.
The panel briefed the AGF office with it findings.
On Thursday, the AGF said Kyari’s offence was not ‘political nor is it trivial’, hence the request for his extradition.
Agency sources said Kyari is the subject of an indictment in case Number 2:21-cr-00203 (also referred to as 2:21-MJ-00760 and 2:21-CR-00203-RGK), was filed April 29, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
