Yusuf Bello/ The process for the extradition of Abba Kyari, suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP), to the United States has been approved by the federal government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had last year indicted the suspended DCP in a $1.1 million fraud involving Hushpuppi, the celebrated international internet fraudster.
The move followed the receipt of In the report of a panel set up to probe the allegation against Kyari by the Inspector General of Police, Baba Usman which was forwarded to the
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation.
The AGF on Wednesday filed an application before the chief judge of the federal high court in Abuja for Kyari’s extradition marked FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 was filed under the Extradition Act.
According to the AGF, 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,” the AGF stated.
In the affidavit filed in support of the extradition application, the AGF said he is satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari is being surrendered is not political nor trivial.
The AGF also said 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 in the interest of justice.
He said Kyari, “if surrendered, will not be prejudiced at his trial and will not be punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty, by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions”.
The AGF said with regard to all the circumstances in which the offence was committed, it will not be unjust or oppressive, or be too severe a punishment, to surrender him.
He also said there is no criminal proceeding pending against Kyari in Nigeria for the same offence.
In April 2021, a jury filed a petition against Kyari with the approval of the US district court and demanded that he stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
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