Just In: FG Approves Request For Abba Kyari’s Extradition To The US

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the request by the United States of America to extradite the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The Police officer is wanted to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

US had earlier asked that Kyari should be extradited over alleged $1.1million wire fraud which involves Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi and four others.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had on Tuesday filed an application before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for Kyari’s extradition.

The application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 was filed under the Extradition Act.

The AGF stated that the application followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

He said; “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment”.

In the affidavit filed in support of the extradition application, the AGF said that he was satisfied that provision is made by the laws of the U.S. that as long as Kyari does not have a reasonable opportunity of coming back to Nigeria, he will not be detained or tried for any offence committed before his surrender asides the extradition offence which can be proved by the fact on which his surrender is gotten.

He further said that he was satisfied that the offence in respect of which Kyari’s surrender is sought is not political nor is it trivial.

The AGF also mentioned that the request for the surrender of Kyari was not made to persecute or punish him on account of his race, religion, nationality or political opinions but in good faith and the interest of justice.

He said that Kyari, “if surrendered, will not be prejudiced at his trial and will not be punished, detained or restricted in his personal liberty, by reason of his race, nationality or political opinions”.

The AGF added that having regard to all the circumstances in which the offence was committed, it will not be unjust or oppressive, or be too severe a punishment, to surrender him.

According to Malami, there is currently no criminal proceeding pending against Kyari in Nigeria for the same offense.