Nigeria’s Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to expand investigations into the alleged connection between the suspended former head of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, and Internet fraudster, Abbas Ramon, populary known as Hushpuppi.
Sources said that the chairman of the PSC, former IGP, Mr. Musiliu Smith, has given the IGP two weeks to turn in a report that would be reviewed by the PSC’s Committee on Discipline.
It was gathered further that the directive to the IGP was sequel to the advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
DCP Kyari had been suspended in July 2021 for alleged involvement in a $1.1 million Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and four others; AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
Kyari had insisted that he did not do anything wrong and maintained that he was ready to face any panel of investigation. A Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, had earlier probed Kyari.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation had alleged that Hushpuppi paid $20,600 to two bank accounts allegedly provided by Kyari on January 20, 2020.
First published in Daily Sun