FG working with US on extradition of DCP Abba Kyari, says Malami

This may not be the best of times for suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Abba Kyari as the attorney-general of the federation, Abubakar Malami on Monday disclosed that the federal government is working with the US on his “possible extradition.”

The AGF, who made the disclosure while speaking in an interview on Channels Television on the report of a panel set up to probe the bribery allegation against Kyari, revealed that the panel has established “reasonable ground for suspicion” which could lead to Kyari’s extradition.

Malami said, “There are a lot of issues that are ongoing, inclusive of the possibility of consideration for extradition and associated things. That is where the collaboration element of it comes into play in respect of all the two cases.”

“There could be a need or perhaps the possibility of making such request and they are looking into it,” the AGF said when pressed on the possibility of extradition of Kyari.

Asked if the extradition request has been made, Malami said discussions on the matter are ongoing.

“As far as I’m concerned, the parties are discussing, the parties are collaborating and there is an exchange of correspondence from the perspective of investigation, from the perspective of extradition, and associated things,” he said.

“You can’t find someone guilty but perhaps the reasonable ground for suspicion can be established, which would translate to prosecution.

“That is what we are talking of, reasonable grounds for suspicion. Reasonable grounds for suspicion has been established; that will eventually translate to the possibility of prosecution and eventually conviction if indeed at the end of the day, one is adjudged guilty by the court of law.

“The position now is that there is prima facie reasonable ground for suspicion that has been considered from the perspective of prosecution, and for extradition if the need for so doing arises. That is what is unfolding in terms of international collaboration.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2019 indicted Kyari for allegedly collaborating with Hushpuppi, the celebrated internet fraudster, to jail one of the latter’s associates, “after a dispute over a $1.1 million scam on Qatari business people”.

Kyari has since denied any wrong doing.