Super decorated cop, Abba Kyari, is in big trouble, and he needs all the luck to escape from the wriggles of the law.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in the Nigeria Police Force, who formerly served at the Lagos State Police Command as the officer-in-charge of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), is reportedly needed in the United States to clear his name over some alleged financial deals.
The invitation from the US authorities represents a climax for a gallant police officer who won the Triple IGP Commendation Medal for courage 2012, 2013, 2014 as well as the Triple Lagos State Governor’s award for Gallantry, Leadership and Service excellence 2011, 2012, 2013.
Justice Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track Kyari down.
The judge said the DCP must be produced before him in the US for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud.
The court’s initial warrant for Kyari’s arrest was requested by prosecutors on February 12, 2021.
However, another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021, granting Justice Wright permission to arrest Kyari and hold him in US custody from July 26.
Kyari, who joined the Nigeria Police in the year 2000 as a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police, is currently the Commander, Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
Nonetheless, things are no longer the same for the super cop, following his alleged involvement in the Hushpuppi saga. Hushpuppi is a pet name for 39-year-old Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, who was only last week, convicted in the US for 20 years for fraud.
Hushpuppi had revealed during his trial told the court that he bribed Kyari to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1million swindling of a Qatari businessman.
Besides, Hushpuppi, an Instagram celebrity, is said to be a leading figure in the slush funds obtained from business email compromise frauds and other scams, including schemes that defrauded a U.S. law firm of about $40 million.
He also reportedly transferred $14.7 million illegally from a foreign financial institution and targeted to steal $124 million from an English football club until his arrest by the Dubai Police.
The US Department of Justice initiated the prosecution of Hushpuppi in February as court documents showed that Abbas, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty on April 20.
Hushpuppi, during interrogation by US authorities, alleged that he paid bribes to Kyari, to have a fellow fraudster, one Kelly Chibuzor, arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over the $1.1 million fraud against a Qatari businessperson, after he felt shortchanged and threatened to expose the transaction.
Kyari got Chibuzor arrested and then sent his pictures to Hushpuppi, in addition to his bank account number details for a settlement of a job well done.
A conversation on their deal was later obtained, indicting Kyari in the conspiracy.
According to information, the conversation between Hushpuppi and Kyari obtained by the FBI was through a phone conversation between the duo.
It showed that on January 20, 2020, Kyari sent to Abbas a biographical report giving information about Chibuzo, along with his photograph.
Hushpuppi, who had already been indicted for attempting to steal £100 million from an English Premier League Club, was then said to have told Kyari “I want him to go through the serious beating of his life.”
And so, the stage is looking set for the downfall of a respected police officer who made several landmark arrests, including the murderers of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) along Keffi-Gitata Kaduna Road.
Abba Kyari also supervised the arrest of the most wanted Boko-Haram commander Umar Abdulmalik and eight of his terrorist gang members.
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He, similarly, superintended the arrest of 22 Boko-Haram terrorist gang members responsible for the kidnap of the Chibok School girls in 2014.
One of the greatest achievements of Kyari was the capture of the deadly kidnapper, Henry Chibueze, a.k.a “Vampire” and his gang members in Owerri, Imo State.
He saw to the arrest of the deadly bank robbers that invaded Offa, Kwara State, and robbed five commercial banks. The gangsters had also murdered over 31 innocent Nigerians.
Meanwhile, Kyari has attributed his ordeal to the handiwork of “criminals who wanted to tarnish my image’’.
He added, “I only linked Hushpuppi to a native dress vendor”.
Abba Kyari said he only met Hushpuppi two years ago and that he did not benefit financially from the fraudster.
A version of Abbas’ plea agreement filed on Tuesday, July 27th outlines his role in the finance scheme, as well as several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that cumulatively caused more than $24 million in losses.
So far, there are conflicting claims on the police’s next line of action concerning the matter.
While there are insinuations that the police high command is trying to give the super cop a safe landing through an ‘internal review’ of Kyari’s case, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has been quoted as saying it would determine the fate of Kyari, who has been indicted by the FBI for alleged involvement in a $1.1m internet fraud.
The commission stated that Kyari might face dismissal or demotion, and criminal prosecution if found culpable in the fraud perpetrated by Hushpuppi.
Kyari is among six suspects indicted in the international fraud conspiracy. The other suspects are Abdulrahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
