Nigerian Government has approved the request by the United States for the extradition of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari over his involvement in money laundering.
Abba Kyari is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
A grand jury, last April 29, filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the 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 (UAE)-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi to commit the crime.
Yesterday, 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,
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.
According to court documents, the three count-charge marked: 2:21-cr-00203-RGK, was filed on April 29, 2021, before the US District Court for the Central District of California, USA.
The charge filed along with the extradition application, sighted by The Nation, reads:
Count one: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years;
Count two: Conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1956(h), carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Count three: Aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting that offence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A(a)(1) and 2(a), carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
In the request for Kyari’s extradition, the U.S. Embassy stated:
“On April 29, 2021, based on the indictment filed by the grand jury and with the approval of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, a deputy clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for Kyari.
“The arrest warrant remains valid and executable to apprehend Kyari for the crimes with which he is charged in the indictment.
“Kyari is wanted to stand trial in the United States for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and identity theft.
“Kyari is the subject of an indictment in case Number 2:21-cr-00203 (also referred to as 2:21-MJ-00760 and 2:21-CR-00203-RGK), filed April 29, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.”
The embattled “super-cop” has challenged the order made on February 22 by Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court, Abuja empowering NDLEA to detain him for 14 days in the first instance.
In an application filed by his lawyers, Kyari wants the court to set aside the order for his detention, arguing that the order was issued without him being accorded a fair hearing.
However, the court has scheduled a hearing in Kyari’s application for March 8.
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