The Police Service Commission has indicated that the case of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has not been presented to them by police authorities for further action.
In an interview on Friday, Austin Braimoh, a Commissioner representing the media on the PSC board, disclosed this information.
Kyari’s predicament commenced in July 2021 when he was implicated by Raman Abbas, widely known as Hushpuppi.
Back in June 2020, the Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates apprehended Hushpuppi and his group, who were subsequently extradited to the US for FBI prosecution.
According to FBI Special Agent Andrew Innocenti, Hushpuppi allegedly engaged Kyari after a “co-conspirator” named Chibuzo Vincent threatened to expose a purported $1.1 million fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.
Former Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, initiated an “internal review of the allegations” against Abba Kyari in July 2021.
In August 2021, Baba recommended Kyari’s immediate suspension.
Subsequently, the Police Service Commission launched a fresh investigation into the allegations against Kyari in January 2022, and in February of the same year, they ordered further inquiries into his case.
On February 14, 2022, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) issued a wanted notice for Kyari, accusing him of being part of a drug cartel operating through the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.
On the same day, Kyari and four others were arrested by the police and handed over to the NDLEA for prosecution.
Braimoh emphasized that the specific details of Kyari’s alleged involvement in the case should have been forwarded to the commission for appropriate action.
He clarified, “The PSC has not received any report about him. The former IGP only informed us that he has a case to answer and should be suspended, which is an interim measure during investigations.”
Braimoh further explained that until the police hierarchy formally submits Kyari’s case to the commission, there is nothing for them to adjudicate upon.
Despite this, he confirmed that the commission had not initiated direct contact with the police authorities regarding the matter, stating that it would appear as though they had a vested interest in the case.
Efforts to obtain a response from Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls or respond to a text message as of the time of reporting.
