The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has revealed that the Federal Government is working with the United States on the possible extradition of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.
Malami made this disclosure while speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday.
Kyari had been indicted as a conspirator in a $1.1m fraud deal involving an Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi.
The indictment led to Kyari’s suspension and an internal investigation was launched, amid calls for him to be extradited to the U.S.
Responding to a question on the case, Malami said: “It is an issue that has international and national dimensions. Actions have been taken, it is a work-in-process locally and internationally and we are doing whatever it takes to ensure justice is done within the context of the law regardless of the personalities that are involved.
“When criminality is involved, Nigeria and US naturally work together when there are elements of the offences that have taken place in the diverse jurisdictions. So, Nigeria is doing the needful by way of supporting what America is doing for the purpose of ensuring that the cases are tried accordingly within the context of the American context of it. And then, eventually, if there is need for local prosecution, nothing stops it.”
The Minister when asked about the probe of Kyari said, “There are a lot of issues that are ongoing inclusive of the possibility of consideration for extradition. That is where the collaboration element of it comes into play.”
Asked if a request for Kyari’s extradition had been made by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, he said, “There could be a need or perhaps the possibility of making such request.
“As far as I am concerned, the parties are discussing, the parties are collaborating, there are exchanges of correspondence from the perspective of investigation, from the perspective of extradition, and associated things.
“Reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established and that will eventually translate to the possibility of prosecution and conviction if indeed one is adjudged guilty by the law.”
