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Hushpuppi: Why I Don’t Want To Face Trial In US, Abba Kyari Tells Court
The detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja not to okay his extradition to the United States of America, to face trial over his alleged involvement with a notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Kyari, who is currently in prison custody for drug related charges, in fresh processes he filed before the court, alleged that the plan to send him to the U.S. for prosecution, was for the purpose of punishing him.
Insisting that his arrest and subsequent detention had “political undertone”, the embattled DCP told the court that the request to extradite him to the USA was “directed to undermine the crackdown on various crime gangs by the Respondent in Nigeria and internationally”.
Kyari, in a counter-affidavit that was deposed to by his younger brother, Mohammed, maintained that all the allegations pending against him, are not extraditable offences.
“I know as a fact that the specified offences are of a political character and were in fact made for the purpose of prosecuting and punishing the Respondent on account of his race, nationality and was not made in good faith nor in the interest of Justice”, the deponent averred.
Kyari, told the court that he is a highly decorated senior police officer that was already carrying out a “sting investigation” on Ramon Olorunwa Abbas or Abdulraman Imraan Juma, otherwise known as Hushpuppi, before he was framed up and arrested.
“A copy of the letter written by the Respondent to the Interpol on January 28, 2020 and to the Inspector General of Police on March 3, 2020 in respect of the sting investigation being carried out by the Respondent are herewith attached as Exhibit 1a & 1b, respectively. This was five months before the arrest of Ramon Abbas and others by the FBI.
“The request for the extradition is not supported by any document or verifiable evidence.
“The request is directed to undermine the crackdown on various crime gangs by the Respondent in Nigeria and internationally and has political undertone.
“The request is for purposes of persecuting or punishing the Respondent on account of his defence for the country.
“The Respondent is confronted with series of charges to break him down because of his achievements and various National honours. A copy of the charge framed against the Respondent by the NDLEA is herewith attached as Exhibit 2.
“The offences are trumped up and the Respondent is seriously committed to defending himself.
“The Application for extradition processes clearly shows allegation of crimes committed on Nigeria soil. A copy of the alleged charge framed against the Respondent by the US Government is herewith attached as Exhibit 3.
“The Respondent has undergone administrative inquiry which is still ongoing and has not been completed to date on the same matter.
“The Respondent is a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the employment of the Nigeria Police who is highly decorated with meritorious service/excellent awards for outstanding service to the nation and has nowhere to run to.
“The Respondent has equally been decorated by the US Authorities.
“Having regards to all the circumstances thereof, it will be unjust, oppressive and improper to surrender the Respondent to the USA.
“We also further submit that the alleged extradition offences are not listed and cannot be imported into it. For any offences to be extradition offences, it must carry the twin head of being listed in the extradition Treaty and has similar or analogous offence in Nigeria.
“The instant case has failed this test. We will rely on the list of Treaty. Equally, there is an ongoing criminal trial against the Respondent in FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, which the Applicant failed to disclose.
“Finally, the Respondent submits that the Applicant’s request concealed the ongoing criminal proceedings against the Respondent and it will prove that on the merit, this application is deserving of being dismissed and the Respondent to be discharged accordingly for the above and other reasons herein”, he added.
Enumerating some of his achievements in the police, Kyari told the court that he was awarded a Presidential medal for courage on April 1, 2016, “three times IGP Commendation for Courage for years 2012, 2013 and 2014, two times recipient of NPF Gold Medal, three times Governor‘s Commendation Medal for Courage & Excellence by the Lagos State Government for years 2011, 2012 and 2013, Award for Outstanding Service to the Nation by the National Assembly (House of Representatives) 2020 and over170 more awards that are too numerous to mention.
“The Respondent has been involved in several national assignments and has in the course of his assignments made many foes.
“The respondent has received several international awards and honours including United States of America where he received Commendation Award from the FBI for rescuing Americans kidnapped in Nigeria, arresting the kidnappers and arrest of murderers of a serving American soldier killed in Imo state”, the counter affidavit further read.
However, the Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr.AbubakarMalami, SAN, in its own affidavit that was deposed to by one Bello AbubakarSholadoye, said it has sufficient evidence to warrant Kyari’s extradition to the U.S. for trial.
It told the court that the office of the AGF, “was in receipt of Extradition request vide a diplomatic channel for the extradition of the Respondent fugitive wanted to stand trial in the USA.
“That the AGF is satisfied that there is no bar to the extradition application”.
The Federal Government, argued that Kyari’songoing trial for drug trafficking would not stop the court from approving his extradition, stressing that surrounding him to the U.S. Government could be postponed by the AGF till the conclusion of his trial in Nigeria.
“In conclusion, this Honourable Court is respectfully urged to resolve that the Applicant has placed sufficient material before this Honourable Court to grant the application for extradition order and the extradition of the fugitive and his remand to await the Surrender Order of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation at determination of the criminal charge against him”, Federal Government added.
Meanwhile, Justice InyangEkwo has adjourned the matter till Friday to enable Federal Government’s lawyer, Mr. Pius Akutah, to respond to Kyari’s preliminary objection against his planned extradition.
The court said it would take both the objection and the substantive suit together.
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 in April 29, 2021, filed an indictment against him with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, afterwhich a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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