There are strong indications that the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Abba Kyari, who was indicted by the United States District Court of California over his alleged role in the fraud perpetrated by a notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas also known as Hushpuppi, may get a soft landing from the authorities.
According to THISDAY, investigation revealed that the embattled former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the police, who was replaced with DCP Tunde Disu by the police high command, following the development, may not return to the police force.
However, the soft landing is that he may not be extradited to the United States for trial.
It gathered that while there are strong indications that the Inspector General of Police (IG) may recommend his demotion, the Police Service Commission (PSC) will opt for outright dismissal because of the gravity of the alleged infraction and its stand against indiscipline in the police.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Joseph Egbunike-led panel set up by the IG to investigate the allegations of fraud levelled against Kyari, Thursday submitted its report to the IG, Mr. Usman Baba.
The panel was constituted on August 2, 2021.
The setting up of the panel was sequel to an indictment of Kyari in a case involving Hushpuppi, who was involved in a $1.1million scam against a Qatari businessman in the US District Court of California. THISDAY gathered that concerned authorities were planning to give the indicted officer a soft landing.
There has been a groundswell of support by northern groups for Kyari.
Some northern lawyers had also indicated interest to defend him in court while some citizens have called on the government to hand him over to US authorities for prosecution for his alleged crimes.
It was further gathered that the IG, who was originally directed to suspend Kyari and probe the allegations against him, recently received further instruction on the steps to take on the matter after the submission of the report.
THISDAY also learnt that the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and a retired Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Musiliu Smith, who recently returned from a medical vacation, was at the Presidential Villa to report for duty after his vacation and received further instruction on Kyari and the steps to take concerning the matter.
“They may give him a soft landing but he is not likely to return to the police. There may also be some diplomatic give-and-take to let him of the hook.
“The IG and the PSC chairman have also received directives on what to do in the matter. This matter is not such an internal one that they can handle alone,” a police source told THISDAY at the weekend.
There has been a groundswell of support by northern groups for Kyari.
A competent source also said that because of the role played by Kyari in crime-busting, the IG may recommend demotion.
However, the Police Service Commission, which has had a strong position on disciplinary cases, is expected to insist on outright dismissal.
Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, had in a statement Wednesday, said the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, “received the report of the NPF Special Investigation Panel (SIP) investigating the alleged indictment of Kyari by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)”.
