Tag: Abba kyari

  • Abba Kyari’s brother received N279m from Hushpuppi, others – Police report

    Abba Kyari’s brother received N279m from Hushpuppi, others – Police report

    Police investigations have revealed how members of a syndicate led by international scammer, Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi paid N235, 120, 000 to a younger brother of a former Commander, Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari

    The probe also indicates that Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, equally funnelled N44m to his brother’s bank account in multiple transactions.

    However, the investigation report obtained by our correspondent on Monday, failed to disclose whether Kyari’s brother was acting as a proxy for his embattled elder brother who is currently in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    The DCP, who was suspended by the police last July for his alleged links to Hushpuppi, allegedly attempted to sell part of the cocaine which was seized from some drug dealers in Enugu, while he was on suspension.

    The investigation report which was submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation disclosed that a total of N279.120m flowed to the younger Kyari’s bank account at various times from the cyber scam syndicate members-Efe Martins (lead coordinator), Sikiru Adekoya, Usman Ibrahim, and Hussaini Ala.

    It stated, “Sikiru Adekoya has many times received money from Hushpuppi and Efe and has equally transferred money to Usman Ibrahim. Adekoya after initial denial of having any financial transaction with both Hushpuppi and Efe Martins eventually admitted receiving various sums of money through transfers into his GTBank.

    ‘’However, he could not offer reasonable explanations of what the sums were meant for and what he did with the monies. The network of Hushpuppi Internet fraud syndicate consists of Efe Martins as the lead coordinator who through his company, Efe Martins Integrated Concept Ltd., has at various times transferred different sums of money to Sikiru Adekoya, Usman Waziri Ibrahim, Hussaini Ala.

    “A junior brother to DCP Kyari is a major beneficiary of funds from the Zenith Bank account of Hussaini Ala from where he at different times received various sums totaling N218, 120, 000. He also received the sum of N44m in multiple transactions from DCP Abba Kyari.’’

    He was taken into custody by the NDLEA alongside four officers after he was indicted for dealing in drugs by the police.

    His accomplices include Sunday Ubuah, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu. Another officer, ASP John Umoru, is said to be at large.

    Curiously, the Special Investigation Panel which authored the report did not invite or interrogate Kyari’s brother about the huge sums of money deposited into his bank account by the fraud syndicate and the DCP.

    In its recommendations, the Force Disciplinary Committee which reviewed the SIP investigation report indicted Kyari for violating the social media policy of the Nigeria Police Force by responding to the Federal Bureau of Intelligence’s indictment on his Facebook page without recourse to laid down procedures.

    Committee accuses Kyari of hobnobbing with fraudulent characters, violating the police professional ethics

    For hobnobbing with fraudulent characters and violating the police professional ethics, the committee awarded Kyari the punishment of reduction in rank from DCP to ACP, stating that “the evidence of (N8mn) bribe is circumstantial in that the bribe mainly was not paid into the officer’s account nor was any proceeds of the bribe traced by the panel much less linking the officer to any such proceeds.’’

    The FDC further said there was no evidence of direct fund transfer from either Hushpuppi or Efe into any of Kyari’s accounts “but there were records of various funds transfers totaling N17m which originated from Efe Martins into the accounts of Usman Waziri, Hussaini Ala and brother to DCP Kyari.”

    Meanwhile, the force has intensified investigations into Kyari’s links to criminal gangs and alleged involvement in money laundering as directed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

    Malami had in his legal advice to the police leadership said a prima facie case of money laundering had been established against the former IRT commander.

    The advice read in part, “That there exists a prima facie case of conspiracy, collaboration, receipt, conversion, transfer and/or retention of proceeds of unlawful activities contrary to the provision of Section 15, 17 & 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and Section 17 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Est) Act, Cap EI Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 against DCP Abba Kyari and other suspects in view of the overwhelming evidence showing the nature of his disguised financial transactions and activities with Abbas Hushpuppi, Efe Martins, Usman Ibrahim Waztiri, Sikiru Adekoya, Hussaini Ala and Sharon Festus who are all confirmed members of international internet fraud network.

    “Although the facts and circumstances of this case as contained in the case fire are suggestive to money laundering offences against DCP Abba Kyari and his accomplices namely: Abbas Hushpuppi, Efe Martins, Usman Ibrahim Waziri, Sikiru Adekoya, Hussaini Ala and Sharon Festus; in order to successfully prosecute them, there is a need for a more thorough dissecting and tracing of the suspected 33 proceeds of crime received by DCP Abba Kyari directly or indirectly through the said accomplices.”

    The AGF also ordered the police to trace the movement of money, withdrawals from the various accounts linked to Kyari and his suspected accomplices as well as the use of the funds in purchasing physical assets and properties in order to clearly expose ‘’the disguised nature of the suspected proceeds of crime.’’

    Speaking on Tuesday, the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said investigation into Kyari’s links to the drug gang was still ongoing as the DCP was being interrogated by detectives.

  • Abba Kyari: IGP Orders Closure of State Intelligence Units Across Nigeria

    Abba Kyari: IGP Orders Closure of State Intelligence Units Across Nigeria

    The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has reportedly ordered the closure of all satellite units of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and SpecialTactical Squad (STS) units across the country.

    The closure is coming barely a day after the arrest of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari and four others by authorities of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over alleged drug deals.

    When contacted, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSL Olumuyiwa Adejobi said he was unaware of the directive.

    Sources however hinted that detectives in all the satellite units following the directive have been asked to report to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    CSP Adejobi’s response to an inquiry was simply, “I am not aware”

    Recall that the Nigeria Police Force on Monday arrested DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption, and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a transnational drug cartel.

    The arrest of Kyari and others came after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) declared him wanted on Monday.

  • We Caught Abba Kyari on Camera Bribing our Officer on International Drug Crime – NDLEA

    We Caught Abba Kyari on Camera Bribing our Officer on International Drug Crime – NDLEA

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has released shocking details on how it used an organized sting operation to track down the drug related activities of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

    NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, told journalists in a press briefing on Monday how Kyari tried to make some officers compromise an investigation, and later failed to show up when he was invited for questioning.

    According to Babafemi, Kyari gave bribe to an NDLEA officer in a car that had been wired with gadgets for audio and video recording.

    Below is the full text of the press conference:

    TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY THE NATIONAL DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, NDLEA, ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022.

    Gentlemen of the press, there is no better way to start this press briefing than to remind us about the enormity of the drug problem Nigeria has on its hand and the imperative of all well-meaning Nigerians to play a positive role in curbing the illicit drug menace.

    Even before the damning findings of the 2018 National Drug Use and Health Survey, Nigeria’s drug problem was getting close to epidemic proportion.

    And if anything, the arrests and seizures by NDLEA in the past 12 months is an indication that the country’s drug problem was grossly underestimated before President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to strengthen the NDLEA and the subsequent launch of offensive action by the Agency to clean the society of the menace.

    And in just 12 months, even the most cynical of Nigerians now agree that the country is really in a drug quagmire and therefore appreciates the relentless efforts of NDLEA operatives.

    Unfortunately, some law enforcement agents who should be partners in the pursuit of the President’s mandate are at the forefront of breaking the law, as they aid and abet drug trafficking in the country.

    Today, we are forced to declare one of such law enforcement agents wanted in the person of suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force.

    With the intelligence at our disposal, the Agency believes strongly that DCP Kyari is a member of a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline, and he needs to answer questions that crop up in an ongoing drug case in which he is the principal actor. His failure to cooperate forced the hand of the Agency and that is the reason for this press briefing.

    Let me give a synopsis of what transpired.

    The saga started on Friday, January 21, 2022, when DCP Kyari initiated a call to one of the NDLEA officers in Abuja at 2:12 pm. When the officer returned the call two minutes later, Kyari informed him he was coming to see him, to discuss an operational matter after the Juma’at service.

    He appeared at the agreed venue of the meeting with the officer and went straight to the crux of the matter. This was it: His team had intercepted and arrested some traffickers that came into the country from Ethiopia with, according to him, 25kg of cocaine.

    He proposed a drug deal whereby he and his team are to take 15kg of the cocaine and leave 10kg for the prosecution of the suspects arrested with the illicit drug in Enugu. In the meantime, the purloined cocaine will be replaced with a dummy worth 15kg. He asked the NDLEA officer to persuade men of the FCT Command, to play along as well.

    Now, anybody who is in touch with the reality of the renewed drug war by NDLEA since January 18, 2021, would know that that was a tall order because our officers and men have rededicated themselves to the war against illicit drugs and what Kyari was asking for was not tenable, not in this new dispensation, not with the new NDLEA. We can recall that one of our officers was in the same situation in May 2021 when a drug kingpin, Ejiofor Felix Enwereaku, flew from Brazil to Nigeria to negotiate the release of a 27.95 kg shipment of cocaine intercepted at the MMIA.

    The drug lord offered a bribe of $24, 500, but our officer placed duty above pecuniary interest. We all know how the episode ended. That is the ethos of the new NDLEA. And our officer proved it again this time by reporting to the authorities.

    By 11: 05 am on Monday, January 24, after the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game.

    At this point, Kyari disclosed that the 15kg (already taken out) was shared between the informants that provided information for the seizure and he and his men of the IRT of the Nigerian Police.

    According to him, the informants were given 7kg while his team took 8kg which was already sold. He then offered to pay the NDLEA team (that is the officer and the FCT commander) by selling, on their behalf, half of the remaining 10kg, thereby further reducing the original cocaine for the prosecution to just 5kg. At N7m per kilogram, the proceed from the 5kg would amount to N35m, at the exchange rate of N570 per dollar being the black market rate for the day, January 24, 2022. In effect, he would be delivering $61, 400 to the NDLEA team. He put pressure on our officer to wrap up the arrangement with the commander of the FCT Command to take custody of the drug and suspects from his men who were on ground in Abuja. At the time, he was speaking from Lagos, where he allegedly travelled for private business.

    The next day January 25, Kyari offered to send his younger brother to deliver the payment while his men deliver the suspects, but our officer turned down the suggestion, insisting he would rather deal with him in person and was therefore prepared to wait for him to return from Lagos.

    And by 5: 23 pm, Kyari was in Abuja and met with the officer at the same rendezvous where they had the first meeting. In their discussion, he disclosed how his team received the information from a double-crosser who betrayed the traffickers to him, showing a sordid connection between law enforcement agents and the drug underworld; he narrated how acting on the tip-off, his team departed Abuja to Enugu and arrested the traffickers, removed part of the consignment on his instruction and replaced same with dummies. He also indicated how to identify the remnant of the original cocaine that would be delivered to NDLEA, five original packages marked with red dots.

    The reason for this was to avoid the dummies being subjected to test. He forwarded a picture of the marked original cocaine package. According to the plan, once the 5kg cocaine has been tested in the presence of the suspects and confirmed positive, there would be no need to test the remaining ones, being dummies.

    He also brought with him the money from the sale of the 5kg share of the NDLEA team, a total of $61, 400. Our officer, however, preferred to take the money inside his car. Well, the car was wired with sound and video recorders. And the moment was documented, part of which I will play for you at the end of this briefing.

    So we have a trove of intelligence, hard facts, from chats to photos and video and a detailed transcript of the communication between him and the NDLEA officer.

    This is not the place to delve into the details. But it is disheartening to hear straight from the horse’s mouth the kind of sleaze engaged in by this team of rogue law enforcement agents led by Kyari, the members of whom he described this way: “the boys are very, very sharp, they are very loyal.”

    It is disheartening to hear him say of this rogue team, and I quote: “I do take good care of them, and this kind of work is done by only that team.”
    It is equally disheartening to hear him give details of another similar operation which they pulled off, three weeks ago, according to him.
    Well, I am not here to wash his dirty linen in the public. But I want us to understand how we arrive at this juncture whereby we are having this press briefing.
    NDLEA has the mandate to take custody of suspects and consignments of drugs seized by other arms of law enforcement. And there is a standard protocol for such transfer. This we duly followed. The suspects and drugs were delivered to us on February 8 but the last part of the process, yet to be completed, is the debriefing of Kyari.
    Gentlemen of the press, DCP Abba Kyari was invited by NDLEA for debriefing on Thursday February 10 through two main channels because there is a whole lot of questions begging for answers. The invitation was legitimate and formal according to our protocol. But up till the close of office hours on Friday, February 11, he refused to respond. Up till this moment, he hasn’t responded.
    We are a law-abiding agency of government. We follow due process. In that vein, we will not detain suspects beyond the stipulated period according to the law before we charge them to court. And Kyari must be debriefed before the suspects are arraigned in court.
    Having failed to honour the official invitation, NDLEA has no option but to declare DCP Abba Kyari of the Nigerian Police WANTED, right from this very moment.

    I must say this publicly. We are not unaware of threats to the lives of NDLEA officers involved in this investigation, even as we continue to do our best to protect our officers and men in the line of duty.

    We are making this strong statement to those contemplating harmful action against NDLEA officers. They would only succeed in compounding their problems in the event of the murder of or harm to officers and men of NDLEA.

  • NDLEA releases video evidence of Abba Kyari’s drug cartel links

    NDLEA releases video evidence of Abba Kyari’s drug cartel links

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has released video evidence against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

    NDLEA showed footage of Kyari trying to bribe one of its operatives in a bid to carry out a drugs heist in the country.

    Recall that the agency had declared him wanted over alleged links to a drugs cartel.

    NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, had linked the former Intelligence Response Team, IRT, boss to a drug cartel operating the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.

    Babafemi, while addressing a press conference, also gave details of how Kyari approached its operatives to help in the cartel’s operation.

    To further buttress the NDLEA’s claims against Kyari, the footage of him giving the operative wads of dollar bills was released.

  • NDLEA confirms arrest of Abba Kyari, 4 policemen for alleged cocaine deal

    NDLEA confirms arrest of Abba Kyari, 4 policemen for alleged cocaine deal

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed the arrest of suspended police officer, DCP Abba Kyari.

    The agency indicted him on Monday, for involvement in a 25 kilograms cocaine deal.

    NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement confirmed that the police handed Kyari over.

    Others are ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu.

    They were driven into the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja at about 5pm on Monday for interrogation and further investigation.

    The agency vowed that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that suspects in custody and those that may still be name face the full weight of the law.

    Kyari was formerly Commander, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Force Intelligence Bureau.

  • BREAKING: Police Arrest DCP Abba Kyari

    BREAKING: Police Arrest DCP Abba Kyari

    The Nigeria Police Force, NPF, has arrested former Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari.

    Kyari was arrested after the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA declared him wanted over links to a drugs cartel.

    Spokesperson of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, at a press conference had detailed how Kyari belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug route.

    Recall that Kyari was suspended over his alleged involvement with an international fraudster, Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi.

    The former Intelligence Response Team, IRT, boss was alleged to have benefitted from a heist carried out by Hushpuppi and his gang in Dubai.

    Kyari was arrested a few hours after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) declared him wanted over alleged drug links.

    Details shortly…

  • Abba Kyari: The final fall of a ‘super corp’ 

    Abba Kyari: The final fall of a ‘super corp’ 

     

    How Abba Kyari negotiated release of 25kg cocaine, offered $61, 400 cash to NDLEA officers

    We have video, photo evidence against Abba Kyari – NDLEA spokesperson,

    Declares DCP Abba Kyari wanted over drug links

    By our correspondents

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has chronicled how it nabbed suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari in a drug deal.

    NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, narrated that Kyari belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.

    Babafemi said Kyari contacted an officer of the Agency in January 2022 and tried to seal a deal.

    He said, “Let me give a synopsis of what transpired. The saga started on Friday, January 21, 2022, when DCP Kyari initiated a call to one of the NDLEA officers in Abuja at 2:12 pm. When the officer returned the call two minutes later, Kyari informed him he was coming to see him, to discuss an operational matter after the Juma’at service.

    “He (Kyari) appeared at the agreed venue of the meeting with the officer and went straight to the crux of the matter. This was it: His team had intercepted and arrested some traffickers that came into the country from Ethiopia with, according to him, 25kg of cocaine.

    “He proposed a drug deal whereby he and his team are to take 15kg of the cocaine and leave 10kg for the prosecution of the suspects arrested with the illicit drug in Enugu. In the meantime, the purloined cocaine will be replaced with a dummy worth 15kg. He asked the NDLEA officer to persuade men of the FCT Command, to play along as well.

    “By 11: 05 am on Monday, January 24, after the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game.

    “At this point, Kyari disclosed that the 15kg (already taken out) was shared between the informants that provided information for the seizure and he and his men of the IRT of the Nigerian Police. According to him, the informants were given 7kg while his team took 8kg which was already sold.

    “He (Kyari) then offered to pay the NDLEA team (that is the officer and the FCT commander) by selling, on their behalf, half of the remaining 10kg, thereby further reducing the original cocaine for the prosecution to just 5kg. At N7m per kilogram, the proceed from the 5kg would amount to N35m, at the exchange rate of N570 per dollar being the black market rate for the day, January 24, 2022. In effect, he would be delivering $61, 400 to the NDLEA team.

    “He (Kyari) put pressure on our officer to wrap up the arrangement with the commander of the FCT Command to take custody of the drug and suspects from his men who were on ground in Abuja. At the time, he was speaking from Lagos, where he allegedly travelled for private business.
    “The next day January 25, Kyari offered to send his younger brother to deliver the payment while his men deliver the suspects, but our officer turned down the suggestion, insisting he would rather deal with him in person and was therefore prepared to wait for him to return from Lagos.

    “And by 5: 23 pm, Kyari was in Abuja and met with the officer at the same rendezvous where they had the first meeting. In their discussion, he disclosed how his team received the information from a double-crosser who betrayed the traffickers to him, showing a sordid connection between law enforcement agents and the drug underworld; he narrated how acting on the tip-off, his team departed Abuja to Enugu and arrested the traffickers, removed part of the consignment on his instruction and replaced same with dummies.

    “He (Kyari) also indicated how to identify the remnant of the original cocaine that would be delivered to NDLEA, five original packages marked with red dots. The reason for this was to avoid the dummies being subjected to test. He forwarded a picture of the marked original cocaine package. According to the plan, once the 5kg cocaine has been tested in the presence of the suspects and confirmed positive, there would be no need to test the remaining ones, being dummies.

    “He (Kyari) also brought with him the money from the sale of the 5kg share of the NDLEA team, a total of $61, 400. Our officer, however, preferred to take the money inside his car. Well, the car was wired with sound and video recorders. And the moment was documented, part of which I will play for you at the end of this briefing.

    “DCP Abba Kyari was invited by NDLEA for debriefing on Thursday February 10 through two main channels because there is a whole lot of questions begging for answers. The invitation was legitimate and formal according to our protocol. But up till the close of office hours on Friday, February 11, he refused to respond. Up till this moment, he hasn’t responded.

    “Having failed to honour the official invitation, NDLEA has no option but to declare DCP Abba Kyari of the Nigerian Police WANTED, right from this very moment.”

    The PUNCH had earlier reported that Kyari was indicted in 2021 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by alleged international Internet fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka, Hushpuppi and five others.

    FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, adding that Hushpuppi also paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent.

    The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California had ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari but the IGP and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) evasively continued to shield Kyari till this moment.

  • NDLEA Declares Abba Kyari Wanted For Drug Trafficking

    NDLEA Declares Abba Kyari Wanted For Drug Trafficking

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has declared suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, wanted over alleged links with drug trafficking.

    NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi made the announcement during a press conference in Abuja on Monday.

    Before his suspension over links with convicted fraudster Hushpuppi, Mr Kyari was the Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force.

    According to the NDLEA, he is wanted over his involvement in a 25 kilograms Cocaine deal.

    The Agency said it declared Mr Kyari wanted after all efforts to get him to honour formal invitations for his interrogation failed.

    It bemoaned a situation where those who are supposed to support current efforts to stem the tide of illicit drug trafficking and abuse are themselves neck deep in the menace.

    “There is no better way to start this press briefing than to remind us about the enormity of the drug problem Nigeria has on its hand and the imperative of all well-meaning Nigerians to play a positive role in curbing the illicit drug menace,” Mr Babafemi said on Monday.

    “Even before the damning findings of the 2018 National Drug Use and Health Survey, Nigeria’s drug problem was getting close to epidemic proportion. And if anything, the arrests and seizures by NDLEA in the past 12 months is an indication that the country’s drug problem was grossly underestimated before President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to strengthen the NDLEA and the subsequent launch of offensive action by the Agency to clean the society of the menace.

    “And in just 12 months, even the most cynical of Nigerians now agree that the country is really in a drug quagmire and therefore appreciates the relentless efforts of NDLEA operatives.

    “Unfortunately, some law enforcement agents who should be partners in the pursuit of the President’s mandate are at the forefront of breaking the law, as they aid and abet drug trafficking in the country.

    “Today, we are forced to declare one of such law enforcement agents wanted in the person of suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force.

    “With the intelligence at our disposal, the Agency believes strongly that DCP Kyari is a member of a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline, and he needs to answer questions that crop up in an ongoing drug case in which he is the principal actor. His failure to cooperate forced the hand of the Agency and that is the reason for this press briefing.”

    The drug deal
    According to the NDLEA, Kyari had initiated a call to one of its officers on Friday, January 21, 2022.

    “When the officer returned the call two minutes later, Kyari informed him he was coming to see him, to discuss an operational matter after the Juma’at service,” Mr Babafemi said.

    “He appeared at the agreed venue of the meeting with the officer and went straight to the crux of the matter. This was it: His team had intercepted and arrested some traffickers that came into the country from Ethiopia with, according to him, 25kg of cocaine. He proposed a drug deal whereby he and his team are to take 15kg of the cocaine and leave 10kg for the prosecution of the suspects arrested with the illicit drug in Enugu. In the meantime, the purloined cocaine will be replaced with a dummy worth 15kg. He asked the NDLEA officer to persuade men of the FCT Command, to play along as well.

    “By 11: 05 am on Monday, January 24, after the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game.

    “At this point, Kyari disclosed that the 15kg (already taken out) was shared between the informants that provided information for the seizure and himself and his men of the IRT of the Nigerian Police. According to him, the informants were given 7kg while his team took 8kg which was already sold.

    “He then offered to pay the NDLEA team (that is the officer and the FCT commander) by selling, on their behalf, half of the remaining 10kg, thereby further reducing the original cocaine for the prosecution to just 5kg. At N7m per kilogram, the proceed from the 5kg would amount to N35m, at the exchange rate of N570 per dollar being the black market rate for the day, January 24, 2022. In effect, he would be delivering $61, 400 to the NDLEA team. He put pressure on our officer to wrap up the arrangement with the commander of the FCT Command to take custody of the drug and suspects from his men who were on ground in Abuja. At the time, he was speaking from Lagos, where he allegedly travelled for private business.

    “The next day January 25, Kyari offered to send his younger brother to deliver the payment while his men deliver the suspects, but our officer turned down the suggestion, insisting he would rather deal with him in person and was therefore prepared to wait for him to return from Lagos.

    “And by 5: 23 pm, Kyari was in Abuja and met with the officer at the same rendezvous where they had the first meeting. In their discussion, he disclosed how his team received the information from a double-crosser who betrayed the traffickers to him, showing a sordid connection between law enforcement agents and the drug underworld; he narrated how acting on the tip-off, his team departed Abuja to Enugu and arrested the traffickers, removed part of the consignment on his instruction and replaced same with dummies. He also indicated how to identify the remnant of the original cocaine that would be delivered to NDLEA, five original packages marked with red dots. The reason for this was to avoid the dummies being subjected to test. He forwarded a picture of the marked original cocaine package. According to the plan, once the 5kg cocaine has been tested in the presence of the suspects and confirmed positive, there would be no need to test the remaining ones, being dummies.

    “He also brought with him the money from the sale of the 5kg share of the NDLEA team, a total of $61, 400. Our officer, however, preferred to take the money inside his car. Well, the car was wired with sound and video recorders.”

    While explaining that relevant channels of communication were duly followed in the demand for Kyari without any result, the NDLEA said it cannot continue to keep other suspects in the case indefinitely while the principal suspect fails to honour official invitation.

    “NDLEA has the mandate to take custody of suspects and consignments of drugs seized by other arms of law enforcement,” Mr Babafemi said. “And there is a standard protocol for such transfer. This we duly followed. The suspects and drugs were delivered to us on February 8 but the last part of the process, yet to be completed, is the debriefing of Kyari.

    “DCP Abba Kyari was invited by NDLEA for debriefing on Thursday February 10 through two main channels because there is a whole lot of questions begging for answers. The invitation was legitimate and formal according to our protocol. But up till the close of office hours on Friday, February 11, he refused to respond. Up till this moment, he hasn’t responded. We are a law-abiding agency of government. We follow due process. In that vein, we will not detain suspects beyond the stipulated period according to the law before we charge them to court. And Kyari must be debriefed before the suspects are arraigned in court.

    “Having failed to honour the official invitation, NDLEA has no option but to declare DCP Abba Kyari of the Nigerian Police WANTED, right from this very moment.

    The NDLEA said that it’s not unaware of threats to the lives of its officers involved in the case, assuring that it would do everything to protect its officers.

    “We are not unaware of threats to the lives of NDLEA officers involved in this investigation, even as we continue to do our best to protect our officers and men in the line of duty.

    “We are making this strong statement to those contemplating harmful action against NDLEA officers. They would only succeed in compounding their problems in the event of the murder of or harm to officers and men of NDLEA.”

  • Hushppupi: Police ordered to conclude investigation on Abba Kyari in two weeks

    Hushppupi: Police ordered to conclude investigation on Abba Kyari in two weeks

    By Becky Adi

    Following its rejection of the earlier investigation report on the alleged involvement of suspended IRT Commander, DCP Abba Kyari in the $1.1million internet scam perpetrated by internet fraudster,

    Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed the Force headquarters to constitute another panel of inquiry to investigate the FBI indictment allegations against the Officer.

    The directive to the Police Force headquarters, followed the deferment of the final decision by the commission on the grounds of the legal advice from the Attorney General of the Federation to the effect that

    “there’s a prima facie case but the evidence adduced by the former investigation panel cannot be used to convict Kyari in any court”.

    A statement in this regard signed by Ikechukwu Ani, head of Press and Public Relations said, “The Police Service Commission has deferred decision on the case involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba A.

    Kyari, who until his suspension by the Commission was the Officer in charge of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    “Kyari had earlier been indicted by a Report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States and was also investigated by a special Panel set up by the Inspector General of Police.

    “The Report had earlier been forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for legal advice by the Inspector General of Police.

    “The Commission also directed that further necessary investigation should take half the time it took the Police to conduct the original investigation and that the investigation should be carried out by a different panel.

    “The Commission took the decision at the continuation of its14th Plenary Meeting which ended in Abuja on Thursday, February 11th 2022 and which was chaired by Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Commission.

    “The Commission at the Plenary Meeting also considered 20 Pending Disciplinary Matters and five appeals and petitions from the Inspector General of Police and aggrieved serving and ex-Police Officers. It also considered five promotion appeals.

    “The Commission reaffirmed its earlier decision to exonerate SP Shaaba Adamu Gboyako a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former Inspector General of Police taken at its I9th Plenary Meeting of 28th and 29th September, 2020.

    “The Commission was mindful of the need to safeguard its corporate image and defend its institutional integrity. It directed the Inspector General of Police to implement its decision as its affects the Officer without delay…”

  • Police Ordered to Conclude Investigation on Abba Kyari in two weeks

    Police Ordered to Conclude Investigation on Abba Kyari in two weeks

    Following its rejection of the earlier investigation report on the alleged involvement of suspended IRT Commander, DCP Abba Kyari in the $1.1million internet scam perpetrated by internet fraudster, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed the Force headquarters to constitute another panel of inquiry to investigate the FBI indictment allegations against the Officer.

    The directive to the Police Force headquarters, followed the deferment of the final decision by the commission on the grounds of the legal advice from the Attorney General of the Federation to the effect that “there’s a prima facie case but the evidence adduced by the former investigation panel cannot be used to convict Kyari in any court”.

    A statement in this regard signed by Ikechukwu Ani, head of Press and Public Relations said, “The Police Service Commission has deferred decision on the case involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba A. Kyari, who until his suspension by the Commission was the Officer in charge of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    “Kyari had earlier been indicted by a Report of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States and was also investigated by a special Panel set up by the Inspector General of Police.

    “The Report had earlier been forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for legal advice by the Inspector General of Police.

    “The Commission also directed that further necessary investigation should take half the time it took the Police to conduct the original investigation and that the investigation should be carried out by a different panel.

    “The Commission took the decision at the continuation of its14th Plenary Meeting which ended in Abuja on Thursday, February 11th 2022 and which was chaired by Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the Commission.

    “The Commission at the Plenary Meeting also considered 20 Pending Disciplinary Matters and five appeals and petitions from the Inspector General of Police and aggrieved serving and ex-Police Officers. It also considered five promotion appeals.

    “The Commission reaffirmed its earlier decision to exonerate SP Shaaba Adamu Gboyako a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former Inspector General of Police taken at its I9th Plenary Meeting of 28th and 29th September, 2020.

    “The Commission was mindful of the need to safeguard its corporate image and defend its institutional integrity. It directed the Inspector General of Police to implement its decision as its affects the Officer without delay…”