The federal government has approved the request to extradite the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba 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
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