The Federal Government will extradite a deputy police commissioner Abba Kyari to the United States to face trial over alleged involvement in wire fraud, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami has confirmed.
Kyari, who is currently suspended from the Nigeria Police Force, is wanted in the US over the $1.1million wire fraud orchestrated by convicted fraudster Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi and four others.
Malami, who is also the minister of justice, filed an application FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022 under the Extradition Act before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja for Kyari’s extradition.
The minister said the application followed a request by the diplomatic representative of the US Embassy in Abuja.
The request is “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three counts indictment.”
Malami also expressed satisfaction 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 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.”
He also noted that there was no criminal proceeding pending against Kyari in Nigeria for the same offence.
Kyari is currently in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over a botched drug deal.
In April 2021, a jury filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the US District Court for the Central District of California, demanding Kyari stands trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
