Hushpuppi: Abba Kyari may be extradited to United States – Malami

Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, says the United States and Nigerian governments are in discussion over possible extradition of DCP Abba Kyari, for his alleged involvement in a $1 million fraud.

Kyari, suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police, is being investigated in the scam allegedly perpetrated by convicted Internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi and five others. Abbas is currently awaiting sentencing, having been convicted by a U.S. court.

The AGF said reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established against Kyari.

Malami spoke on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, with Seun Okinbaloye.

He said: “It is an issue that has international and national dimensions. Actions have been taken, it is a work-in-process locally and internationally and we are doing whatever it takes to ensure justice is done within the context of the law regardless of the personalities that are involved.

READ: US court mum on Abba Kyari, postpones Hushpuppi sentencing

“When criminality is involved, Nigeria and U.S. naturally work together when there are elements of the offences that have taken place in the diverse jurisdictions. So, Nigeria is doing the needful by way of supporting what America is doing for the purpose of ensuring that the cases are tried accordingly within the context of the American context of it. And then, eventually, if there is need for local prosecution, nothing stops it.”

Commenting specifically about Kyari’s fate, the AGF said, “There are a lot of issues that are ongoing inclusive of the possibility of consideration for extradition. That is where the collaboration element of it comes into play.”

Asked if a request for Kyari’s extradition had been made by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, he said, “There could be a need or perhaps the possibility of making such request.”

According to the AGF, “As far as I am concerned, the parties are discussing, the parties are collaborating, there are exchanges of correspondence from the perspective of investigation, from the perspective of extradition, and associated things. “Reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established and that will eventually translate to the possibility of prosecution and conviction if indeed one is adjudged guilty by the law.”