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Hushpuppi: What Police Must Do To Abba Kyari – Sunday Igboho’s Lawyer

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Breaking: Abba Kyari Narrates How He Was Framed, Arrested
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Pelumi Olajengbesi, one of the Nigeria-based lawyers of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, has asked the Nigerian Police to conduct an open trial for the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

Naija News reports that the Police Service Commission (PSC) had on Sunday announced the suspension of Abba Kyari pending the outcome of investigations into allegations linking him with the infamous fraudster, Ramon Abbas, alias Hushpuppi.

According to US Court documents, Hushpuppi had claimed that he bribed Nigeria’s celebrated police chief Abba Kyari.

Officials said in court filings that Hushpuppi disclosed during interrogation that he paid bribes to Abba Kyari to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1 million dupe of a Qatari businessperson.

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“Kyari is a highly decorated deputy commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who is alleged to have arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed at Abbas’ behest,” the FBI wrote, citing an affidavit.

“Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment.”

Following the allegation, Court documents disclosed that Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud.

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The Nigerian Police had last  Thursday evening said it would carry out an internal review of the allegations against Kyari.

Reacting, Pelumi Olajengbesi urged the police to allow journalists to cover Kyari’s trial.

He made this known in a statement titled, ‘Suspension of DCP Abba Kyari by Nigeria Police Force pending investigation by the special investigative panel commendable: A demand for transparency and matter to be conducted in an open panel with full press access’.

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Part of the statement read, “Indeed, it is rather uncommon in our experience as a people to find such spine and resolve in our hero-worship climate where a few persons are revered above the law and due process. IGP Usman Bala has demonstrated appreciable commitment to the resolution of this matter in the interest of truth and justice and must now see that he stands steadfast to this path even in the face of expected pressure to do otherwise.

“DCP Abba Kyari who had hitherto assumed a rather amused and dismissive approach to the serious allegations against his person and office, must take good advantage to clear his name by making himself available for the investigations to allow the Nigeria Police Force to run a fine comb through the allegations brought forward against his person before the SIP led by Deputy Inspector-General Joseph Egbunike.

“The Special Investigation Panel must undertake the task before them with a sense of duty and loyalty only to the truth. It must rid itself of bias considerations for, favourable or unfavourable disposition to DCP Kyari while equally availing him ample opportunity to make a representation of his defence against the allegations against him.

“The very image of the Nigeria Police Force, particularly its ethos and claims to be corruption-free is being examined by the watchful public at national and international levels. IGP Usman Alkali Bala thus have an uphill task to dutifully acquit itself in this matter and in doing so, help save the reputation of the Nigeria Police Force.

“It is therefore a demand in the interest of justice that the conduct of the investigations be transparent and open, with full press access. The Nigeria Police Force should know that Nigerians are struggling to trust the process and in view of this the Press must be allowed unfettered access to its proceedings for record and posterity sake, too.”