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COPA urges SIP to be unbiased over Abba Kyari’s probe
Pelumi Olajengbesi
…..Hails IGP, PSC over Kyari’s suspension
Stanley John
National Coordinator of Coalition of Public Interest Lawyers & Advocates (COPA), Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, has called on the Special Investigation Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Bala, to thoroughly probe the allegations against the suspended Head of Inspector General of Intelligence Response and Monitoring Team of the Nigeria Police Force (IRT), Abba Kyari.
In a statement on Sunday, he urged the SIP to undertake the task before it with a sense of duty and loyalty only to the truth.
According to him, the panel should rid itself of bias considerations for, favourable or unfavourable disposition to Kyari while equally availing the suspect ample opportunity to make representation of his defence on the allegations against him.
He also lauded the IGP and the Police Service Commission (PCS) for ensuring the immediate suspension of Kyari as the Head of Inspector General of Intelligence Response and Monitoring Team of the Nigeria Police Force.
The IGP had recommended to the PCS for Kyari’s suspension to enable an unbiased investigation of allegations levelled against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation following the conviction of a self-confessed internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi.
The PSC had approved the suspension of Kyari following the IGP’s recommendation in a memo to it with with Ref: No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.4/26.
COPA had on Thursday urged the IGP to, in the meantime, relieve Mr. Kyari as the head of Inspector General of Intelligence Response and Monitory Team of the Nigeria Police Force.
Olajengbesi had in a media briefing in Abuja added that the retention of Kyari as the head of Inspector General’ IRT was no longer tenable pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the extent of his guilt, complicity or the lack thereof in the allegations made against his person and office by Abbas.
Olajengbesi, who also is a legal practitioner and the Principal Partner at LAW CORRIDOR, urged Kyari to take good advantage of the probe to clear his name by making himself available for the investigations to allow the Nigeria Police Force to run a fine comb through the allegations against him before the SIP led by Deputy Inspector-General Joseph Egbunike.
Olajengbesi said, “I must commend the Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force Usman Alkali Bala, psc (+), NPM fdc, for recommending the immediate suspension of DCP Abba Kyari and the immediate confirmation of same by the Police Service Commission pending the determination of his guilt or innocence by a special investigation panel in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s indictment on his person for fraud related activity.
“The decision to relieve DCP Abba Kyari of his duty and position is framed rightly in the IGP’s seasoned judgement that it is necessary to forestall any prejudicial interference in the Special Investigation Panel (SIP)’s inquiry into the weighty allegations against the now controversial super-cop.
“Indeed, it is rather uncommon in our experience as a people to find such spine and resolve in our hero-worship climate where a few persons are revered above the law and due process. IGP Usman Bala has demonstrated appreciable commitment to the resolution of this matter in the interest of truth and justice and must now see that he stands steadfast to this path even in the face of expected pressure to do otherwise.:
He added, “DCP Abba Kyari who had hitherto assumed a rather amused and dismissive approach to the serious allegations against his person and office, must take good advantage to clear his name by making himself available for the investigations to allow the Nigeria Police Force to run a fine comb through the allegations brought forward against his person before the SIP led by Deputy Inspector-General Joseph Egbunike.
“The Special Investigation Panel (SIP) must undertake the task before them with a sense of duty and loyalty only to the truth. It must rid itself of bias considerations for, favourable or unfavourable disposition to DCP Kyari while equally availing him ample opportunity to make representation of his defence against the allegations against him.”
Kyari’s indictment stemmed from the outcome of the cybercrime charges levelled against Nigeria’s Instagram Influencer, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly called Ray Hushpuppi.
He was alleged by FBI to have with five other Nigerians and a Kenyan defrauded a Qatari businessman of about $1.1 million between December 2019 and early 2020.
Hushpuppi, had alleged that he bribed Kyari, to arrest a co-fraudster in a $1.1m deal, US court documents revealed.
According to the document, Hushpuppi had 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.
Kyari’s indictment stemmed from outcome of the cybercrime charges levelled against Nigeria’s Instagram Influencer, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly called Ray Hushpuppi.
He was alleged by FBI to have with five other Nigerians and a Kenyan defrauded a Qatari businessman of about $1.1 million between December 2019 and early 2020.
Hushpuppi, had alleged that he bribed Kyari, to arrest a co-fraudster in a $1.1m deal, US court documents revealed.
According to the court document, Hushpuppi had 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.
But Kyari had in a statement denied the allegations of bribe and wrong doing against him.
He said, “Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about 2 years ago that somebody in Nigeria seriously threatened to kill his family here in Nigeria and he sent the person’s Phone number and pleaded we take action before the person attacks his family.
“We traced and arrested the suspect and after investigations, we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life and they are long-time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail to go and he was not taken to any jail.
“Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
“Later, he saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k directly to the person’s account. The native clothes and caps (5 sets) were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. We responded to a distress call he made on threat to his family and released the suspect when we discovered there was no life threat from the suspect. This is the true story. Vincent is alive, he can be contacted.”
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