The attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has said that there is the possibility of extraditing the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Mr. Abba Kyari to the United States for alleged role in the fraud case involving internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly called Hushpuppi.
Recall that in July 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed how Kyari allegedly collaborated with Hushpuppi to jail one of the latter’s associates, “after a dispute over a $1.1 million scam on Qatari business people”.
The suspended police officer had, however, denied the allegation, claiming that his hands are as clean as a whistle.
In August 2021, the inspector general of police, Mr. Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, received the report of a panel set up to probe the bribery allegation against Kyari.
Thereafter, the minister of police affairs, Mr. Muhammad Dingyadi, said the panel report on Kyari had been submitted to Malami.
Commenting on the report yesterday in an interview on Channels Television Malami said multiple jurisdictions were involved in the matter, including the United Arab Emirates, America, and Nigeria. He said although investigation was still going on, a prima facie evidence had so far been established which could lead to the extradition of the accused.
“There are lots of considerations that are ongoing including the possibility of extradition. That is why the collaboration element comes in. There could be a need for extradition.
“As far as I am concerned, parties are discussing; we are collaborating and there are exchanges of correspondence. Reasonable ground of suspicion has been established and that will eventually translate into prosecution and eventual conviction.
“The position now is that there are prima facie grounds, reasonable grounds for suspicion have been considered from the perspective of prosecution, from the perspective of extradition if the need for it arises,” he said.
Asked if the extradition request had been made, Malami said discussions on the matter are ongoing.
“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 have 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.”
Speaking on the failure to disclose names of those allegedly sponsoring terrorism, the attorney-general declared: “Prima facie case or reasonable suspicion seems to have been established, eventually, prosecution will take place.”
“Work is in progress and nobody has been taken to custody arbitrarily. In a couple of weeks, these people will be charged to court. In a number of weeks, we will have something tangible. I am a man of honour, not out of pride, but when I make promises, I keep to them,” he said.
Malami assured that nothing would be hidden in terms of names, associated facts, and circumstances.
On the issue of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu, the minister said: “We will allow the law of the country, where he (Igboho) is being detained to take its natural course. Perhaps, thereafter bring him back after the conclusion of his trial over there to face the Nigerian law that has been breached.
“We are not interfering with his on-going prosecution at the foreign land. A political solution can only be considered after the conclusion of his trial at the Benin Republic.
We cannot rule out any possibility in terms of prosecution. In our laws, there are lots of possibilities.”
On the Corruption Perceptions Index 2021, which ranked Nigeria 154 out of 180 countries and territories, putting the country back five places from the rank of 149 in 2020, he said: “Today, as of the end of 2021, EFCC has recorded over 2,000 convictions. So, if you are talking of the year in, year out empirical evidence as it relates to the performance of our institutions, one single institution (EFCC) has established the point that there is no basis by which Transparency International report can stand.
“When you juxtapose the report of the Transparency International with that of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which is more universal and are the best for assessment.
“As far as we are concerned, when you are talking of Transparency International compared with UNODC, then, the answer as far as we are concerned is UNDOC stands clear.
“The fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended and rated as the champion of anti-corruption established a point that there is no basis, no foundation, no justifiable ground and, indeed, to the standing platform upon which Transparency International could stand. We have been acknowledged to be doing very well by UNODC.”
The minister contended that the fight against corruption could only be assessed by the number of prosecutions and convictions.
He said the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, saying the fact that EFCC could record more than 2,000 convictions within a year showed that the present administration has done well in the fight against corruption.
