The Nigeria Police Force is reviewing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) allegation and indictment of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, says the Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Baba.
A U.S Magistrate Court Judge, Otis Wright had issued warrant for the arrest of DCP, Abba Kyari, over his alleged links to suspected fraudster, Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Case Build-Up:
Chibuzo Vincent, an estranged co-conspirator in a $1.1million fraud case was arrested and imprisoned by Abba Kyari allegedly at the behest of Hushpuppi and sent a bank account and photographs of Vincent after his arrest to Hushpuppi for payment. Abba Kyari reportedly denied the allegation in a facebook post on Thursday.
Hushpuppi, in a multi-million dollar fraud charge filed against him by the United States government, reportedly indicted DCP Abba Kyari when questioned on how proceeds from his crime were spent.
Coming months after the deadly #EndSARS protests, and the Police resolve to redeem its image, an embarrassed Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CP Frank Mba, in a statement Thursday in Abuja, said: ‘The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of justice and the strengthening of its professional relationship with the FBI and other international partners.’ and promised to ‘communicate further developmets on the matter to members of the public accordingly.’
The Indictment:
Rukayat Motunraya Fashola, a.k.a. Morayo, 28, of Valley Stream, New York, and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka, a.k.a. Bolamide, 34, of Linden, New Jersey are two defendants arrested on July 22, 2021, by FBI agents. They are conspirators in laundering the proceeds of the fraud by Hushpupi.
Showmanship:
“Approximately $230,000 of the stolen funds was lavished on a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which Hushpupi displayed on his social media posts. “Other illicit proceeds from the scheme were allegedly converted into cashier’s checks, including $50,000 in checks that were used by Abbas and a co-conspirator to fraudulently acquire a St. Christopher and Nevis citizenship, as well as a passport for Abbas obtained by creating a false marriage certificate and then bribing a government official in St. Kitts.
The Case:
“Court documents outline a dispute among members of the conspiracy, which allegedly prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that Abbas and Juma were engaged in fraud. After this contact, Abbas allegedly arranged to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria by Abba Alhaji Kyari, 46, a highly decorates deputy police commissioner in Nigeria.
Abba Kyari’s Refutal:
In a swift reaction, DCP Kyari said he did not demand any money from Hushpuppi. He, however, said he introduced the accused to a cloth seller whom Hushpuppi paid about N300,000.
The Facebook post read in part: “Friends: Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about two years ago that somebody in Nigeria seriously threatened to kill his family here in Nigeria and he sent the person’s phone number and pleaded we take action before the person attacks his family.
“We traced and arrested the suspect and after investigations we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life and they were long time friends who had money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail to go and he was not taken to any jail.
“Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
“Later, he saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k directly to the person’s account.
“The native clothes and caps (five sets) were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. We responded to a distress call he made on threat to his family and released the suspect when we discovered there was no life threat from the Suspect. This is the true story. Vincent is alive, he can be contacted.”
Kyari further stated that, “For those who are celebrating that this is an indictment on us and mentioning some fictitious big money they will be disappointed once again as our hands are clean and our record of service for two decades is open for everybody to see.
“They will continue seeing us serving our father land and we will continue responding to all distress calls from all Nigerians provided they are life threatening.”
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