Hushpuppi: Police Commission Gives 2-Week Ultimatum for Fresh Probe of Suspended Cop Abba Kyari

An apparently angry Police Service Commission (PSC) on Friday ordered a fresh investigation into the allegations of fraud levelled against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, who was the officer in charge of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

The commission also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to constitute a new panel to undertake the probe and submit the report in two weeks.

Kyari was indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States for alleged involvement with an internet fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hussipuppi.

A statement by the commission on Friday said it deferred decision on the case involving Kyari, pending the new probe.

The statement signed by the Spokesman of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said the commission also directed that “further necessary investigation should take half the time it took the police to conduct the original investigation and that the investigation should be carried out by a different panel.”

The commission took the decision at the continuation of its 14th Plenary Meeting which ended in Abuja on Thursday, February 11, 2022, and chaired by Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police.

After Kyari’s indictment by the FBI, he was also investigated by a special panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police.

The report was forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for legal advice by the Inspector-General of Police.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said Monday that  the federal government may consider the request to extradite Kyari to the United States to face trial over his alleged involvement with Hussipuppi.

Malami, who spoke in a media interview, stated that “reasonable ground for suspicion” was established against DCP Kyari in the report of the police panel that investigated corruption allegations levelled against him by the FBI.

Noting that the case had both national and international dimensions, Malami said government would not rule out the possibility of Kyari’s extradition to the US or his prosecution in Nigeria.

A US District Court had, following an FBI investigation, indicted Kyari and six others.

The six defendants, including Kyari, indicted in the case were alleged  co-conspirators in the $1.1million fraud coordinated by Hushpuppi, the FBI said in court documents released last July.

A Qatari business man was said to be one of the victims of the heist spearheaded by Hushpuppi between November 2019 and April 2020.

Hushpuppi, known for flaunting his wealth on his Instagram, had pleaded guilty to various fraud activities including the $1.1million scheme in another case before the U.S. District Court in California.

Kyari, allegedly played a role in the $1.1million scam by helping Hushpuppi to detain a disenchanted co-conspirator, who wanted to warn the business man about the scam.

The Police Service Commission suspended Kyari as a result of the allegations.

Meanwhile, the PSC statement said the plenary meeting also considered 20 pending disciplinary matters and five appeals and petitions from the IG and aggrieved serving and ex-police officers.

It also considered five promotion appeals.

The commission reaffirmed its earlier decision to exonerate SP Shaaba Adamu Gboyako a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former Inspector-General of Police taken at its I9th Plenary Meeting of 28th and 29th September, 2020.

It said the commission was mindful of the need to safeguard its corporate image and defend its institutional integrity and directed the Inspector-General of Police to implement its decision as its affects the officer without delay.

The commission also directed that the judgment of a Kano High Court in an application for enforcement of the fundamental right to life brought by the father of one Abdulkadir Nasiru (now deceased) be forwarded to the Inspector General of Police for implementation of the orders of the court.

The appellant sought justice for the alleged torture of his son to death by police.

The appeal for accelerated/notional promotion based on merit from CSP Ita Lazarus Udom was also considered and approved by the Plenary.

“The commission also  approved the adjustments of promotion dates of the officer from the rank of Superintendent of Police to a Deputy Commissioner of Police in line with his course mates”, it said.

The commission also considered and promoted 89 staff of the commission with a promise to ensure that staff promotion will continue to receive priority attention while urging them reciprocate management’s gesture.

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

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