The Police Service Commission has suspended Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force from the exercise of the Powers and functions of his office .
Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31st 2021 and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States .
Starnews Nigeria reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has recommended the immediate suspension of a super cop and Deputy Commission of Police, Abba Kyari, police authorities confirmed to Channels Television on Sunday.
Kyari, an officer who is highly revered by colleagues in the Force and celebrated by members of the general public, was fingered in a bribery scandal involving Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Earlier, the United States District Court for the Central District of California said alleged international fraudster, Hushpuppi used Kyari to arrest and jail a co-conspirator, Chibuzo Vincent.
According to a communique from the court, the arrest was made after Vincent threatened to expose a $1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.
Disturbed by the development, the police chief ordered an “internal review of the allegations” against a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, by a United States Court.
Two days after, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the IGP’s directive is pending the outcome of an ongoing internal investigation of the embattled senior officer.
“The IGP, in his letter to the Police Service Commission, dated 31st July 2021, noted that the recommendation for the suspension of the officer is in line with the internal disciplinary processes of the Force,” the statement partly read.
According to the police boss, the suspension is to “create an enabling environment for the NPF Special Investigation Panel to carry out its investigations into the weighty allegations against DCP Abba Kyari without interference.
“The suspension is without prejudice to the constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the officer.”
The Special Investigation Panel (SIP), consisting of four senior police officers, is headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Joseph Egbunike.
Among other things, the panel is to undertake a detailed review of all the allegations against DCP Abba Kyari by the US Government as contained in relevant documents that have been availed the NPF by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
It is also expected to obtain a detailed representation of Kyari to all the allegations levelled against him, conduct further investigations as it deems fit, and submit recommendations to guide further actions by the Force Leadership on the matter.
Meanwhile, the IGP has reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to the Rule of Law and assured the public of the sanctity of the probe as well as the absolute respect for the rights and privileges of the officer throughout the period of the investigations.
Kyari had been in the eye of the storm since Wednesday when the FBI released a 69-page court document showing that he had been under investigation by the agency for his alleged link to Hushpuppi, who had pleaded guilty to fraud.
Details later…
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