Questions related to the delay in the extradition of the disgraced former commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari, can only be answered by the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. This was made known by the United States Department of Justice.
Recall that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) had indicted Abba Kyari in a $1.1million loot involving suspected internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, alias Hushpuppi.
The FBI had also asked the Buhari administration to extradite the disgraced super cop to the US to answer for his crimes.
Responding to a mail sent by Gazette, Nicole Oxman, a spokeswoman for the DOJ, said only the Federal Government of Nigeria can explain delays in Kyari’s extradition.
“As a matter of policy, the department generally does not comment on extradition-related matters. We defer any questions about the status of a defendant’s extradition to the foreign country,” she said.
Recall that the Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, had admitted that the Buhari administration was considering extraditing Abba Kyari to the US.
He however did not give a time frame for the extradition process to be completed.
Abba Kyari vs NDLEA
The NDLEA had indicted the former IRT leader in the trafficking of cocaine, which subsequently led to his arrest by the police following the intervention of the presidency.
In a statement on Monday evening, Police Deputy PRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, claimed that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, ordered the immediate transfer of Abba Kyari and four others to the NDLEA.
Adejobi added that others officers arrested are ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu.
Also, the NDLEA, in a statement released by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest of Kyari and four other police officers over alleged links with an international drug cartel.
He further stated that Kyari and others were driven into the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja at about 5 pm on Monday for interrogation and further investigation.
The agency vowed that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that suspects in custody and those that may still be named full weight of the law.
