The federal government has filed an 8-count criminal charges against the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Force Intelligence Bureau, Nigerian Police Force, Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari.
Also charged alongside Kyari are ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP. Bawa James, Inspr Simon Agirgba, Inspr John Nuhu Chibunna, Patrick Umeibe Emeka, and Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
The charge dated February 25, 2022, was endorsed by J. N Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abuja.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, filed at the Federal High Court Abuja, it was alleged by the Federal Government that DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, on or about the January 19 to 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja conspired amongst themselves with ASP John Umoru (now at large) to deal in 17.55 kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Some of the charges read: “That you DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dealt in 17.55kilogrammes of cocaine without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
LEADERSHIP earlier reported that on Thursday that the federal government had approved the request to extradite the Kyari to the United States of America over the $1.1million wire fraud perpetrated by Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Abass Ramon, a.k.a Hushpuppi and four others
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.
According to the AGF, the application followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The request is “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment.”
The AGF said he was satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari’s surrender is not political nor is it trivial.
The AGF also expressed satisfaction that the request for the surrender of Kyari was not made to persecute or punish him on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions but in good faith and the interest of justice.
He said Kyari, “if surrendered, will not be prejudiced at his trial and will not be punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty, by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions.”
The AGF said having regard to all the circumstances in which the offence was committed, it will not be unjust or oppressive, or be too severe a punishment, to surrender him to the United States authorities.
Malami said he was also satisfied that Kyari has been accused of the offence for which his surrender was sought.
He noted that there was no criminal proceeding pending against Kyari in Nigeria for the same offence.
In April 2021, a jury filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the U.S. District Court and demanded Kyari stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
“That you DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, within the office of the Inspector-General of (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves and with ASP John Umoru (now at large) to unlawfully tamper with 21.35 kilogramames of cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwannne in the custody of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), by removing and disposing 17.55 kilogrammes of the cocaine and by substituting same with some other substance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.”