Police Service Commission has suspended a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari, over his indictment for alleged involvement in a $1.1m (N583,300,000) internet fraud by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The new development came a few hours after the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, recommended the “immediate suspension” Kyari, from the Nigeria Police Force.
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The police commission said Kyari’s suspension took effect on Saturday, July 31, 2021.
The statement titled, ‘FBI indictment: PSC suspends DCP Abba Kyari, directs IGP to furnish it with information on further developments’, was signed by the commission’s Head, Press, and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, on Sunday.
The statement reads;
The Police Service Commission has suspended Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force from the exercise of the Powers and functions of his office.
Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31st, 2021, and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.
The Commission has also directed the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with information on further development on the matter for necessary further action.
Read Also: Court Document Shows How FBI Identified DCP Abba Kyari In Hushpuppi’s Money Laundering Scheme
It added;
The Commission’s decision which was conveyed in a letter with reference, PSC/POL/D/153/vol/V/138 to the Inspector General of Police today, Sunday, August 1st, 2021, was signed by Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner 1 in the Commission for the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police who is currently on leave.
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It would be recalled that FBI criminal complaint lodged at United States District Court in California listed Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi; and Kyariamong six suspects indicted in the international fraud conspiracy.
The other suspects include AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
Kyari, who is popularly known as ‘super cop’ for his immense contribution to fighting crime, had been under fire since the FBI, last Wednesday, unsealed a 69-page court document showing that he had been under investigation by the Bureau for his alleged link to Hushpuppi, who had pleaded guilty to fraud.
In the case marked 2:21-cr-00203, USA VS Abba Alhaji Kyari dated April 29, 2021, the FBI asked a US District Court in California to order the arrest of Kyari for 10 days.
Hushpuppi had brought Kyari into the fraud scheme to arrest his gang member-turned-rival, Kelly Chibuzo who was displeased by his cut from the fraud proceeds, according to a months-long investigation by Andrew Innocenti, an FBI special agent.
Kyari’s involvement, according to Innocenti, was “to ensure CHIBUZO’s continued arrest, thereby preventing CHIBUZO from notifying the Victim Businessperson of ABBAS’ and JUMA’s fraudulent scheme and preventing CHIBUZO from hijacking the scheme for his own benefit.”
However, the cop has since denied any involvement in the said case, claiming he only assisted Hushpuppito get native clothes and caps worth N300,000.
Although he admitted to arresting Vincent, he said it was after Hushpuppi alleged that Vincent was threatening his family here in Nigeria.
Kyari denied knowing about the relationship between Hushpuppi and Vincent at the initial stage and later discovered Vincent and Hushpuppi had a misunderstanding over the said amount of money.
He also said he never demanded any money from Hushpuppi, adding that they (Kyari and his team) were focused on saving people who were being threatened.
