Crime / Drugs / Law / News

Abba Kyari pleads not guilty to drug trafficking

Suspended DCP Abba Kyari  on Monday pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Kyari told Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Monday, following his arraignment, alongside six others, on allegations bordering on drug trafficking.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that while Kyari pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four and eight levelled against him, the other four police officers, who are defendants in the trial, also pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three and four filed against them.

But Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants respectively, pleaded guilty to counts five, six and seven preferred against them. Although their names were also mentioned in counts three and four where allegations bordering on conspiracy were leveled against Kyari and others, they were not asked to take a plea on these two counts.

The four members of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022 include ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne are the two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Shortly after taking their plea, the NDLEA lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, prayed the court for a trial date for the 1st to 5th defendants

Sunday also urged the court to grant a leave to review the charges against  Umeibe and Ezenwanne who pleaded guilty for the charges against them.

“We hope to file our proof of evidence latest tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

Kanu Agabi, SAN, who led a delegation of Senior Advocates of Nigeria that appeared for Kyari and Ubia,  however informed that a bail application had been filed in respect of his clients.

The NDLEA’s lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, who confirmed being served with the bail application, said a counter affidavit had been filed in its opposition.

The NDLEA, in the …

Drugs / Foreign / News

Abba Kyari: FG begins US extradition process as Malami files case

Nigeria has approved the request by the United States for the extradition of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari.

A grand jury, last April 29, filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the US District Court for Central District of California.

A Deputy Clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for him.

Kyari is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft. He was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirates-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to commit the crime.

On Wednesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), filed an application before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for Kyari’s extradition.

The application, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, was filed under the Extradition Act.

The AGF said the application followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the US Embassy in Abuja.

It is “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment”.

Kyari and five other police officers are undergoing interrogation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over a cocaine deal.

Last week, a court endorsed further 14-day detention for the suspects.

In the affidavit filed in support of the extradition application, the AGF stated that he was satisfied that provision is made by the laws of the US such that so long as Kyari has not had a reasonable opportunity of returning to Nigeria, he will not be detained or tried for any offence committed before his surrender other than the extradition offence which can be proved by the fact on which his surrender is sought.

He added that he was satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari’s surrender is sought is not political nor is it trivial.

The AGF also expressed satisfaction that the request for the surrender of Kyari was not made to persecute or punish him on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions but in good faith and the interest …

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NDLEA should parade Abba Kyari with 25kg cocaine, $61,400 —Lawyer

An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to parade narcotics suspect, Abba Kyari, with 25kg cocaine, $61,400 and other exhibits recovered from the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Olajengbesi stated this in a Facebook post on Thursday, noting that security agents should embarrass Kyari by parading him before the media as they do to other suspects.

“In this Abba Kyari’s case, the Nigerian security agencies are yet to demonstrate equal lawlessness they carry out in investigating and embarrassing citizens by interviewing them on cameras, taking their pictures holding boards with incriminating inscriptions and parading them with their criminal items in press conference like they do to common criminals.

“We need the NDLEA to bring Abba Kyari to answer questions on TV with display of the 25kg cocaine. Let us not be hopeless in this country!” the lawyer wrote. The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, on Monday, handed over Kyari to anti-narcotics agency for prosecution over alleged link in drug trafficking after the NDLEA release damning photo and video evidence to nail Kyari.

The NDLEA said Kyari, the suspended head of the Intelligence Response Team, belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.

The anti-narcotics agency also said Kyari contacted one of its officers in Abuja and struck a deal to secure the release of a total of 25kg seized cocaine and offered $61,400 bribe to NDLEA officers who played along until his arrest.

The NDLEA also said it had photo and video evidence against Kyari.

The IGP in a statement had corroborated the NDLEA’s findings, saying incontrovertible evidence indicted Kyari in the drug crimes.

The police had been investigating Kyari for over eight months after the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States indicted the “super cop” in 2021 for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by alleged international Internet fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi and five others.

The FBI had said Hushpuppi paid Kyari N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of a …

Crime / Drugs / Fraud / News

Abba Kyari: Police unravel identities of suspected drug barons, NDLEA collaborators

The Force Headquarters on Monday unraveled the identities of the suspected drug barons who allegedly colluded with Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four others to ferry illicit drugs into the country.

Abba Kyari and four of his team members were declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Monday.

The suspects had been arrested by the police and handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation. The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement in Abuja that some NDLEA officials were allegedly involved in the drug deal. He said that the police had carried out discreet investigation when it received a request from the NDLEA on February 10.

Adejobi said: “In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations.

“The interim investigations report revealed that two international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19.

“The suspects were arrested upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917.

“The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers.

“The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team.”

Adejobi said the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on January 25.

He said the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the I-G, Usman Baba, established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings.

The Police spokesman said the finding showed that the officers were allegedly involved in official corruption, which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.

He added: “Beyond this, the Police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law …

Foreign / Fraud / News

Abba Kyari, Hushpuppi: How IRT sting operation went wrong, FBI misled

A Police Officer, who wishes to be simply identified as Superintendent of Police Kolade, has revealed fresh facts about the connection between the former Commander of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.

According to the Superintendent of Police, what befell Abba Kyari was a sting operation that went horribly wrong.

He revealed that the NPF Special Investigation Panel set up to look into the allegations by the United States of America Federal Bureau of Investigation against Kyari, did not indict him.

It will be recalled that in July, news broke in Nigeria that the United States District Court for the Central District of California had indicted Kyari in the ongoing prosecution of Hushpuppi. A US Magistrate Judge, Otis Wright, issued an arrest warrant on Kyari.

Also, unsealed documents in the US stated that Kyari allegedly arrested and jailed one Chibuzo Vincent on the instruction of Hushpuppi.

He also allegedly sent Hushpuppi’s bank account details into which he could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment.

The Superintendent of Police alleged that aside from the FBI’s case against Kyari, many other unknown personalities were fighting the Nigerian Police Poster Boy from all corners.

He said: “You probably do not know, but Kyari in the course of his job arrested thousands of criminals all over the country.

“Many of these criminals have relatives, friends, colleagues and gang members.

“Many of them are rich and well connected.

“They are not happy about the fact that their friends, relatives or partners were arrested.

“Also, don’t forget Kyari and his team’s latest battle in the South East, how they fought against unknown gunmen that had been killing and creating panic.

“Do you know the number of policemen and soldiers killed in those states?

“Police stations were burnt and the Inspector General of Police and his Management Team in their wisdom decided to deploy Kyari and his men to those boiling zones.

“I can tell you that the South …

Crime / Entertainment / News

Davido lifts suspension of his aide Israel DMW

Nigerian singer Davido has lifted the suspension on his aide and trusted ally, Israel DMW.

The music star and Israel were spotted in a video together for the first time in months, putting to rest the speculations about his suspension.

In the video, Israel couldn’t hold back his excitement as he reunited with his boss and friend.

Israel fell out with the music star in August after he openly declared support for embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The senior police officer has been accused of collecting bribes from Internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas also known as Hushpuppi.

After the FBI released documents implicating the celebrated officer, as one of Huspuppi’s co-conspirators, Israel took to Instagram to say that he stands with the Deputy Commissioner of Police no matter what.

His comments were said to have led to his alleged dismissal from DMW.

He later took to social media where he appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help save his job.

…
Crime / News

PSC sets up panel to study report on DCP Abba Kyari

The Police Service Commission has set up a panel to study the documents available to it on the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The Head of Press and Public Relations of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said this in a statement on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Kyari, the Head of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, was on July 31 suspended by the PSC following a recommendation by the IGP, Usman Baba.

The recommendation followed a bribery allegation brought against him by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI had alleged that the suspended DCP was paid a bribe by a serial internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to arrest one of his friends in a $1.1 million deal.

Ani said the PSC panel would examine the facts of the allegations as contained in the FBI indictment as well as the extant rules to keep abreast with the matter, pending the submission of the Police Investigative Panel report.

The panel, headed by Tijani Mohammed, the Director of Discipline in the commission, would gather and document relevant information on Kyari in view of it being a disciplinary matter, Ani said.

He added that the idea was to analyse the information gathered and make appropriate recommendation/s to the commission.

The PSC spokesman said the report of the panel would assist the commission take an informed decision after the submission of the Police Investigative Panel report.

He said the panel had already been inaugurated by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Commission, Alhaji Abubakar Ismaila.…

Crime / Law / News

Abba Kyari’s probe: Police speak on reported submission of report

The Nigeria Police Force has said the probe into the alleged indictment of Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari by the Federal Investigation Bureau of the United States of America, being conducted by the NPF Special Investigation Panel, is still ongoing.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Commissioner of Police Frank Mba, spoke on the development in a statement.

Mba, in the statement on Tuesday, enjoined Nigerians to note that the panel has not submitted its report to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, as being wrongly reported in some news outlet and online platforms.

He added: “The Force hereby reassures the public that the outcome of investigations by the probe panel would be communicated accordingly upon conclusion of the investigations.”…

Crime / Law / News

31 Northern lawyers volunteer to defend Kyari

 

No fewer than 31 lawyers of Northern extraction have volunteered to defend the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, over allegations of fraud in the United States of America.

This was disclosed to newsmen by one of the lawyers involved, Sunusi Bappah Salisu, in Abuja on Thursday.

A well known internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, had in a statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America, mention Kyari in a fraud cases involving $1.1 million.

Hushpuppi alleged that he gave Kyari N8 million to arrest one of those involved in the fraud, Vincent Chibuzor.

Based on this, a District Court in the United States of America ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari and bring him to court in the US.

But Salisu said 31 lawyers from the Northern part of Nigeria had offered their services to Kyari, who is from Borno State.

He said: “In apparent response to recent calls for support for Abba Kyari by the Coalition of Northern Groups, a group of about 31 young northern Nigerian lawyers, has volunteered to render legal services to the embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police.

“We would raise questions involving the possibility of the occasioning of breaches to Kyari’s fundamental rights entrenched in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right, which essentially state that every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person and every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard.

“This comprises the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations and customs in force.”…

Crime / News

Hushpuppi Calls out DCP Abba Kyari in $1.1m wire fraud

Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, has accused super cop, Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, in a $1.1 million fraud involving a Qatari businessman.

Hushpuppi, according to the United States Department of Justice, levelled the accusation in court documents.

The scheme, in which six persons were indicted, was to defraud a Qatari school founder and then launder over $1 million in illicit proceeds.

Kyari, the Head of the Inspector General of Police Federal Intelligence Response Team, which had successfully investigated several criminal cases, was yet to respond to enquiries as at press time.

The development on the matter, published on the website of the US Department of Justice, reads:

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed this week alleges an elaborate scheme to steal more than $1.1 million from a businessperson attempting to finance the construction of a school for children in Qatar – and the subsequent laundering of illicit proceeds through bank accounts around the world.

The three-count indictment returned on April 29 and unsealed Monday charges three U.S.-based defendants who were arrested last week – as well as three defendants believed to be in Africa – with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.

The criminal complaint that initiated the prosecution in February was also unsealed Monday, revealing that Ramon Olorunwa Abbas – also known by his social media handle of “Ray Hushpuppi” – was initially charged in this case. Court documents ordered unsealed today show that Abbas, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, pleaded guilty on April 20. A version of Abbas’ plea agreement filed late Tuesday outlines his role in the school-finance scheme, as well as several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that cumulatively caused more than $24 million in losses.

“The defendants allegedly faked the financing of a Qatari school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website in a scheme that also bribed a foreign official to keep the elaborate pretense going after the victim was tipped off,” said Acting United …