Before his connection to the notorious fraudster Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, was revealed, Abba Kyari, the former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, was a toast of Nigerian society.
Mr. Kyari was named “Hero of the year” by the STV in 2018, and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi praised him.
In 2020, the National Assembly gave him a standing ovation on the floor of the chamber, and his pictures with the high and the mighty are all over the internet. The media labeled him as a “super cop.”
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
Despite the fact that Babachir Lawal, the disgraced former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has been out of office for five years due to a grass cutting scandal, he is still free to roam.
The ongoing prosecution of Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume, and the billionaire kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, demonstrates the slow process of prosecuting offenders.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration won the 2015 election on an anti-corruption wave, but recent events have cast doubt on the government’s anti-corruption campaign.
While the government has prosecuted and convicted a number of high-profile cases, including Joshua Dariye, Jolly Nyame, and James Ngilari, it has been accused of selective prosecution.
Several opposition party politicians who are facing corruption charges have defected to the ruling party.
Many believe that Godsday Orubebe, Femi Fani Kayode, and others defecting are attempting to get the government off their backs.
Former Senator Shehu Sani had previously accused the government of using “perfume to fight corruption” in cases involving those close to the government.
The inability to prosecute cases of government officials has dampened the enthusiasm of Nigerians on the ability of the government to properly prosecute the former head of the Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari.
Mr. Kyari, who faces extradition to the United States for cybercrime-related offenses, is also being investigated for drug dealing and evidence tampering charges.
If Mr. Kyari is found guilty of the charges, he faces life in prison.
Social media reactions to the suspended police officer have been mixed.
While some have praised NDLEA Director-General Buba Marwa for the sting operation, others have expressed doubt that the narcotics charge is an attempt by the government to prevent Mr. Kyari’s extradition.
The fact that Mr. Kyari was able to access the seized cocaine despite his suspension casts further doubt on the police.
“As a suspended Officer, how did Kyari gain access to seized cocaine?” Henry Shield asked on Twitter. “What are the cops not telling us?”
Despite the fact that the police arrested Mr. Kyari and turned him over to the NDLEA for prosecution.
Mr Kyari’s ability to obtain evidence has fueled conspiracy theories on social media, as has the suspension of some other officers involved.
According to Inibehe Effiong, a rights activist lawyer, the case can only be resolved in a reasonable manner if the police and the NDLEA work together on it.
He stated that it would be preferable if Mr. Kyari was extradited to the United States first to face prosecution for cybercrime-related offenses.
“The nature of the case against Abba Kyari necessitates inter-agency collaboration, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the NDLEA to investigate and reach a conclusion.”
We have consistently maintained that the proper course of action is to extradite Abba Kyari to the United States for trial, and once that trial is completed, he can be returned to Nigeria to face the narcotics-related charges.
“I do not believe the case should begin with the NDLEA; that would be incorrect because he is already being investigated by the FBI in the United States under Nigeria’s extradition act.”
As a result, the proper course of action for the government is to let the Justice Department’s investigation run its course.
If he is convicted, the country can now have Mr. Abba Kyari returned to Nigeria to serve his sentence for the conviction in the US under the legal mutual assistance treaty.
“Even if he is acquitted, he can still be brought back to Nigeria to face charges in the drug-related case that the NDLEA has brought against him,” he explained.
Mr. Effiong went on to say that Mr. Kyari’s arrest has not filled a gap in the current administration’s anti-corruption fight.
“Whether or not the government prosecutes him depends on how serious the government is about pursuing the matter.”
The right thing may be done if the government is serious about prosecuting him thoroughly. However, if the government wishes to play the game, the outcome will be predicted.
“There is no evidence that the government takes corruption seriously.”
Nobody, according to some of us, is fighting corruption in Nigeria. “Marwa has shown some semblance/willingness to handle the matter,” he said.
This is not to say that the government is fighting corruption; the political will is not there.
According to a police officer, the litany of accusations leveled against Abba Kyari may cause the police to abandon the investigation.
The Nigeria Police Force has always had image problems. Shining stars in the police force do not appear on a regular basis; they appear only on rare occasions.
The force was extremely proud of Kyari, but with all of the recent scandals, it is difficult to tell.
“If you read between the lines of the IGP’s letter, you will see that the police are attempting to point accusing fingers at NDLEA men,” he said.
He mentioned that because the NDLEA is prosecuting the case under the NDLEA act, the case could be heard quickly.
