Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, police Affairs Minister, said on Tuesday night that the final decision on request for extradition of suspended head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, would be taken only by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It would be recalled that Kyari was suspended from office to answer allegations of complicity in the $1.1million bribe fraud perpetrated by Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, who was arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and extradited to the US for trial.
Speaking on Channels Television Programme ‘ Politics Today’, Dingyadi said the federal government was trying to ensure that due diligence was done on the matter because it had international connotations.
He said: “The issue of Abba Kyari is in public domain and I think by now, everybody has heard that the police in their very wisdom, in their usual way of becoming transparent and fair to all, have set up a committee to investigate all these allegations.
“We have also reported that the committee has submitted its report to the Inspector General of Police. We have also submitted this report and recommendations to the Attorney-General of the Federation for a legal opinion. Thereafter, we will take it to Mr President for final consideration.
“So, you can see that though this matter is a local matter here, it has some international connotations. We have to do some due diligence to ensure that we do the right thing. We have to do some consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Justice before a final decision will be taken.
“What is important is that Nigerians should know that the police management is up and doing and it has done what it is supposed to do. I hope people will wait and see what actions will be taken on this matter.”
The FBI had indicted DCP Kyari along with four others in the Hushpuppi internet fraud scam.
This led to his suspension and the IGP setting up a Special Investigations Panel, headed by DIG Joseph Egbunike of FCIIB to probe the allegations
The panel had since submitted it’s report to the Police Service Commission, while the commission has commenced it’s own internal investigative processes on the issue.
