From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN has refuted media reports that his Office had conclusively exonerated Abba Kyari.
The  AGF who made the clarification on Sunday through a statement by  his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, described the report as false.
According to the statement, there appears to be misunderstanding regarding the issue.
It was a case of work in progress in respect of which the office of the Attorney General of the federation requested for further probe in relation to some aspects of investigation.
Dr. Gwandu said that It was clear that the conclusion on the alleged contradiction on the issue was a clear case of  misconception.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice’s stance is that no conclusion has been reached in the direction of absence of evidence relating to the first report.
The issues were raised  for further investigation with a view to cover the field in investigation in order to arrived at informed decision.

the request by the United States of America, for suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, to be extradited over the $1.1million wire fraud perpetrated by Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi and 4 others

Government’s approval was made known by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) when he 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 said the application followed a request by the Diplomatic Representative of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

Already a Federal High Court judge has fixed March 23 to hear the extradition application.

In April 2021, a jury filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the U.S. District Court and demanded Kyari stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

Consequently, the US Embassy requested for Kyari’s extradition saying, “On April 29, 2021, based on the indictment filed by the grand jury and with the approval of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, a deputy clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest for Kyari.

“The arrest warrant remains valid and executable to apprehend Kyari for the crimes with which he is charged in the indictment.

“Kyari is wanted to stand trial in the United States for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and identity theft.

“Kyari is the subject of an indictment in case Number 2:21-cr-00203 (also referred to as 2:21-MJ-00760 and 2:21-CR-00203-RGK), filed April 29, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.”

Kyari was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi to commit the crime.

The charges against Kyari reads, “Count one: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years;

“Count two: Conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 1956(h), carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

“Count three: Aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting that offence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A(a)(1) and 2(a), carrying a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.

Kyari and six others including four members of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) are standing trial in a drug charge  charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022.

They are ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.