The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Sunday ordered the immediate suspended a deputy commissioner of police and head, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Abba Kyari, over his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged involvement in a $1.1 million internet fraud.
The suspension was sequel to the recommendation of the inspector general of police, Mr. Usman Baba, for immediate suspension of Kyari over his Indictment by the FBI and an order for his arrest by a District Court of California over his alleged role in a $1 million fraud case involving notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, and five others.
The suspension was contained in a statement entitled, ‘FBI indictment: PSC suspends DCP Abba Kyari, directs IGP to furnish it with information on further developments’, signed spokesman for the commission, Mr. Ikechukwu An.
The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission has suspended Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force from the exercise of the Powers and functions of his office.
“Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31st, 2021, and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States.
“The Commission has also directed the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with information on further development on the matter for necessary further action.
“The Commission’s decision which was conveyed in a letter with reference, PSC/POL/D/153/vol/V/138 to the Inspector General of Police today, Sunday, August 1st, 2021, was signed by Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner 1 in the Commission for the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police who is currently on leave.”
The FBI criminal complaint lodged at the United States District Court in California had listed Hushpuppi; and Kyari among six suspects indicted in a $1.1m international fraud conspiracy.
The other suspects include AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
Kyari had been under fire since the FBI, last week, unsealed a 69-page court document showing that he had been under investigation by the Bureau for his alleged link to Hushpuppi, who had pleaded guilty to fraud.
In the case marked 2:21-cr-00203, USA VS Abba Alhaji Kyari dated April 29, 2021, the FBI asked a US District Court in California to order the arrest of Kyari for 10 days.
The US Department of Justice in a statement said Hushpuppi admitted during interrogation that he paid bribes to Kyari to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1m fraud involving a Qatari businessman. According to the FBI, Hushpuppi asked Kyari to arrest “co-conspirator,” Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, after both were involved in a dispute over the $1.1million scam
