A warrant of arrest has been issued for Nigeria’s police commissioner Abba Kyari, Peoples Gazette can report based on court documents.
Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Mr Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, a notorious Nigerian fraudster.
Mr Abbas was arrested in Dubai last June and he pleaded guilty to fraud in the U.S. this week. The FBI said Messrs Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were both involved in a conspiracy to launder money.
Mr Kyari was also indicted of receiving bribes from Mr Abbas to arrest a member of the syndicate in Nigeria.
American prosecutors first sought a court warrant to arrest Mr Kyari on February 12, 2021, according to court documents seen by The Gazette. Another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021.
Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.
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Mr Kyari in a hurried statement denied allegations of conspiracy with Hushpuppi, saying he only met him two years ago and did not benefit financially from the fraudster.
It was not immediately clear whether or not an extradition request has been filed for Mr Kyari. Attorney-General Abubakar Malami did not immediately return a request seeking comments from The Gazette.
It is earlier reported that, the embattled Nigerian socialite, popularly known as Ray Hushpuppi, has alleged that he bribed Nigeria’s celebrated police Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police (DCP), to arrest a co-fraudster in a whopping $1.1m deal, US court documents reveal.
This is coming days after the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) urged Nigerians to stop offering their officers a bribe.
According to a statement by the US department of justice seen by Vanguard, Hushpuppi asked Kyari to jail Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, his colleague, after both were locked in a dispute over how to share the $1.1 million loot received from the Qatari businessperson.
In the filings by the officials, Vincent was said to have contacted the victim and informed him that he was being scammed by Hushpuppi’s syndicate.
As stated in the documents, this enraged Hushpuppi who was said to have contacted Kyari to arrest and jail him.
Hushpuppi was also quoted as saying that Kyari allegedly sent photos of Vincent in jail and followed this up with a bank account number to which a wire transfer should be made for the successful arrest and detention of his co-fraudster.
“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, of Nigeria.
“According to the affidavit, 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, and then sent Abbas photographs of Vincent after his arrest. Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment,” the statement read in part.
