…I’m Innocent, I Only Linked Him To My Tailor -Police Chief Insists
A warrant of arrest has been issued for Nigeria’s police commissioner Abba Kyari.
Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Mr Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, a notorious Nigerian fraudster.
Mr Abbas was arrested in Dubai last June and he pleaded guilty to fraud in the U.S. this week. The FBI said Messrs Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were both involved in a conspiracy to launder money.
Mr Kyari was also indicted of receiving bribes from Mr Abbas to arrest a member of the syndicate in Nigeria.
American prosecutors first sought a court warrant to arrest Mr Kyari on February 12, 2021, according to court documents seen by The Gazette. Another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021.
Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s celebrated Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has responded to the allegation that he was bribed by Nigerian disgraced fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, following a dispute over a $1.1million dupe of a Qatari businessperson.
Officials of the US Department of Justice, had disclosed that court documents ordered unsealed showed that Abbas alleged that he paid bribes to the Nigeria’s police chief, Kyari, to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria.
However, in a swift reaction posted on his Facebook wall, Kyari said while his office got a distress call from Abass about two years ago that somebody in Nigeria seriously threatened to kill his family, nobody demanded for a kobo from him.
He said the suspect was investigated and released and was not taken to any jail.
He however said that he later connected Abass to the person selling native clothes for him when Abass indicated interest in the clothes based on pictures of his native clothes and caps on his Facebook wall.
According to Kyari, Abass sent about N300k directly to the person’s account while the Native Clothes and Caps (5 sets) were brought to his (Kyari’s) office before Abass sent somebody to collect them.
Kyari’s posting read: “Friends: Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about 2years ago that somebody in Nigeria Seriously threatened to kill his Family here in Nigeria and he sent the person’s Phone number and pleaded we take action before the Person attacks his family.
“We traced and arrested the Suspect and after investigations we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life And they are long time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the Suspect on bail to go and he was not taken to any jail.
“Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to Save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
“Later, he saw some of my Native Clothes and Caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k directly to the person’s account. The Native Clothes and Caps (5 sets) were brought to our office and He sent somebody to Collect them in our office.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. We responded to a distress call he made on threat to his family and released the Suspect when we discovered there was no life threat from the Suspect. This is the true story. Vincent is alive, he can be contacted.
“For those who are celebrating that this is an indictment on us and mentioning some fictitious Big Money, They will be disappointed once again as our hands are clean and our record of Service for 2 decades is open for everybody to See. They will continue seeing us serving our father land and we will Continue responding to ALL distress Calls from ALL Nigerians provided they are life threatening.
“For Good Nigerians who appreciate our Service please don’t worry as our hands are clean and they should please not respond to those celebrating and creating many false Narratives without any Evidence. We are used to such types of people and false newsmakers and distributors.
“Thank you all and GOD bless Nigeria.”