Other sets of investigative reports and “new discoveries” including documents obtained from foreign law enforcement agencies with over 6,700 pages are being processed by prosecutors, the document also says.

U.S. prosecutors along with three of the six indicted defendants in the fraud case have asked the U.S. District Court for Central California to postpone trial from October 2021 to 17 May, 2022.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the parties jointly filed the application on Friday, citing various reasons for asking for trial postponement.

Apart from the need for additional time by the defence lawyers to prepare for the case, U.S. prosecutors also asked for more time to process troves of documents, including those obtained from foreign countries.

According to the application, the U.S. government has already handed to the defence approximately 2.31 GB of data consisting of 2,707 electronic files.

It added that prosecutors were processing approximately 6,773 pages of additional discovery expected to be produced in two weeks’ time.

“Defendants are charged with violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud); § 1956(h) (Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering); and § 1028A(a)(1) (Aggravated Identity Theft).

“The government has produced discovery to the defense, including approximately 2.31 GB of native data consisting of 2,707 files including exported chat logs, Cellebrite reports, WhatApp messages, audio recordings, and other social media content.

“The government is currently processing approximately 6,773 pages of additional discovery including investigative reports and documents received from foreign law enforcement agencies for production and anticipates those materials will be produced within approximately two weeks,” the document reads, in part.

Three ready for trial in May, Abba Kyari, two others ‘at large’

Three of the defendants – Rukayat Fashola (aka Morayo), Bolatito Agbabiaka (aka Bolamide), and Yusuf Anifowoshe (aka AJ and Alvin Johnson) – arrested in the United States and subsequently released on bail signed the application for their trial to be postponed to May 2022 along with their separate lawyers and U.S. prosecutors.

The U.S. Acting Attorney for the Central District of California and U.S. Assistant Attorney, Khaldoun Shobaki, signed the application on behalf of the U.S. government.

Ms Fashola with her lawyer, Edward Robinson; Ms Agbabiaka with her lawyer, Daniel Nardoni, and Mr Anifowoshe with his lawyer, Lakeshia Monique Dorsey, also endorsed the application.

But the rest of the three accused believed to be outside the U.S. – Mr Kyari, Abdulrahman Juma, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent – “remain at large,” prosecutors say.

Fraud case, delayed extradition

All six defendants, including Mr Kyari, indicted in the case were co-conspirators in the $1.1million fraud coordinated by a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Abbas Ramon, better known as Hushpuppi, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) said in court documents released in July.

A Qatari businessperson was said to be the victim of the heist spearheaded by Hushpuppi between November 2019 and April 2020.

Hushpuppi, known for flaunting his wealth on his Instagram page, has pleaded guilty to various fraud activities including the $1.1million scheme in another case before the U.S. district court in Central California. He is now awaiting sentencing.

Mr Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police, allegedly played a role in the $1.1million scam by helping Hushpuppi to detain a disenchanted co-conspirator who wanted to warn the victim businessperson about the scam.

The former head of Intelligence Response Team of the Nigerian police, with pending U.S. extradition request against him, was suspended in the wake of the revelation of the charges against him and five others.

The report of a probe into the case commissioned by the Inspector-General of Police has been submitted, but its findings and recommendations have yet to be made public officially.

With the delay, speculations are rife that efforts are being made to cover up for Mr Kyari in a bid to avert his extradition to the U.S.

Trial may be separated

The application filed at the U.S. District Court of Central California stated that parties had estimated that six days would be required to conclude the three defendants’ trial.

Indicating that the trial of the available defendants may be separated from those of Mr Kyari and others still at large, the application states, “all defendants are joined for trial and a severance has not been granted.”

With no objection to the application from any of the parties, the judge, Otis Wright, is expected to grant the request to fix 17 May, 2022 for commencement of trial any time soon.

PremiumTimes

US officials said during interrogation, Hushpuppi disclosed that he gave Kyari money to arrest and jail “one of his rivals in Nigeria after a dispute over a $1.1 million scam on Qatari businesspeople.”

In a post on his verified Facebook account, Kyari denied receiving money from Hushpuppi, and that the Instagram celebrity only called his office about two years ago that somebody in Nigeria “threatened to kill his family here”.

The suspect, Kyari said was trailed and arrested, but after investigation, they discovered there was no actual threat to anyone’s life and “they are long-time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail”.

The senior officer also said later Hushpuppi “saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k directly to the person’s account”.

But in a new turn, Kyari, who is being grilled by a police panel following a warrant by the US to arrest and extradite him, edited his post Tuesday evening.

Removing the part where he said Hushpuppi sent N300,000 for clothes, the senior police officer now claimed his office was reached a second time to help recover N8 million.

“Nobody demanded or collected any money from Abbas Hushpuppi. He can be interviewed publicly in the presence of the world media by the people holding him to confirm this,” Kyari wrote in the new post.

“He also called for another case in June 2020 and complained about a financial transaction with a second person whom he said his friend sent 8 million naira to and pleaded for his friend’s money to be recovered. He sent transaction slips and other evidences to prove their case against the person.

“All these can be verified from the Hushpuppi since he is still in custody. And it can be verified from person who collected 8 million naira from Hushpuppi’s friend whom they complained about is alive and is in Nigeria.” But Kyari later took down the post.

Source: The Cable

Kyari, who was suspended by the Police Service Commission and replaced as head of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector-General of Police, is currently trying to wash himself off bribery allegations.

The FBI, which asked the Nigerian authorities to track him down, had said he collected an N8 million bribe in a multimillion dollar scam involving Hushpuppi.

In the video, the embattled officer was seen shaking hands with Zulum as Shettima watched from a distance.

Social media users had said the two top Borno politicians visited Kyari, also an indigene of Borno, to solidarise with him over his travail.

He said Kyari met both men when he visited Shettima’s Abuja residence in June.

Gusau said he had to issue the clarification after Kyari failed to do so despite promising to do the needful when his attention was drawn to the issue.

“Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum and his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima do not know the residence of embattled DCP Abba Kyari, let alone visit him. Zulum’s spokesman, has clarified.”

“Gusau said he resorted to issuing the clarification since Abba Kyari who promised issuing the clarification himself did not do so, more than four hours after making the promise.

“Isa Gusau said a video in circulation was recorded by some associates of Abba Kyari at the residence of Senator Kashim Shettima in Abuja on June 30, 2021, when Abba Kyari paid an empathy visit to Shettima following mischievous circulation of rumours that the Senator had died in the UK.

“Kyari himself had shared the same video on his verified Facebook wall on June 30, shortly after he visited Shettima.

“Kyari who hails from Borno State and in Shettima’s constituency visited the former Governor to wish him well like many others had visited the Senator during the time.

“Gusau released a video of some sympathizers who had also visited the Senator the same period, which showed the senator receiving them in his house, the same place being described as Abba Kyari’s house.

“Gusau also pointed observers to take note of the TV behind Zulum and Abba Kyari with a CNN breaking news on the release of American Comedian actor, Bill Cosby, which, as can be verified by anyone online, happened on June 30, 2021.

“The spokesman called on Abba Kyari to issue a similar clarification as he had promised when the spokesman called his attention to the misrepresentation given the fact it was Kyari himself who took that video and released it on his Facebook page on June 30, 2021,” the statement read.

Source: Daily Trust

Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, presented his defence to the SIP at the Force headquarters,Abuja, on Tuesday.

Our correspondent gathered that the SIP ended the session around 8pm.

A source said, “The panel started sitting since Monday. Kyari appeared before the panel members today (Tuesday) during which he presented his defence to the indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the SIP members. The panel would take it from there.”

Kyari is under investigation for involvement in a $1.1m Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, and five others.

The FBI had claimed that Kyari detained one Kelly Chibuzor at the behest of Hushpuppi for one month to enable the latter and his co-conspirators fleece their Qatari victim of over $1m.

The agency also said Hushpuppi paid $20,600 to two bank accounts allegedly provided by the former IRT commander in January 20, 2020.

Kyari has denied wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the new Head of the Intelligence Response Team, Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, resumed at the Guzape, Abuja headquarters of the unit on Tuesday.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, approved the posting of Disu as the unit head on Monday following the police management’s decision to fill the leadership gap within the IRT caused by Kyari’s removal on Sunday.

An operative informed our correspondent that Disu breezed into the IRT headquarters on Tuesday and later left for an undisclosed location after spending some minutes.

Source: The Punch

Mr Ikechukwu Ani, Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, announced this in a statement in Abuja, on Sunday.

Ani said the commission had also directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Alkali Bala, to furnish it with information on development in the matter for necessary further action.

Ani said the suspension took effect from July 31 and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of Kyari’s indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The suspension followed the recommendation by the IGP to the PSC in a letter dated July 31, 2021.

The IGP, in the letter, had recommended the immediate suspension of Kyari, who was, until suspension, the Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), pending the outcome of an ongoing internal investigation against him. In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Sunday, by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, the IGP noted that the suspension is expected to create an enabling environment for the NPF special investigation panel to carry out its investigations into the weighty allegations against Kyari without interference.

“The suspension is without prejudice to the constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the officer,” the statement said.

The statement further revealed that, “the SIP, will comprise of four senior police officers and would be headed by Joseph Egbunike, the Deputy Inspector General of Police incharge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID).”

It added that, “the SIP, inter alia, is to undertake a detailed review of all the allegations against DCP Kyari by the United States government as contained in relevant documents that have been availed the NPF by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“The SIP is also to obtain a detailed representation of DCP Abba 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.”

Due process must be followed in Kyari’s matter, Falana says

Leading lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, advocated due process in bringing Kyari to justice in the United States.

In an e-statement to Nigerian Tribune, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the same way due process is being demanded in the cases of secessionists, Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho, nothing less would also be demanded in Kyari’s case.

He opened with a quote from Lord Atkin in Liversidge v Anderson [1942] AC 206 at 244, which says, “In this country, amid the clash of arms, the laws are not silent. They may be changed, but they speak the same language in war as in peace.”

Falana said, “We condemned the abduction of Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya by Nigeria because it did not follow due process. We condemned the attempt by Nigeria to have Sunday Igboho deported from Cotonou without following due process.

“We have also insisted that Abba Kyari cannot be arrested and deported to the United States without following due process.”

Police on trial – Ubani, Edun

A leader of the Bar, Dr Monday Onyekachi Ubani, on Sunday alleged that the Force is filled to the brim with officers that pervert the course of justice for cash. Also reacting, a national leader of the Nigerian Bar, Mr Kunle Edun, said the Force is on trial with the allegation against Kyari. Ubani, who is the chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), lauded the suspension of Kyari and said he was surprised that authorities could suspend him from police duties, an action he said is a norm in the public service.

He, therefore, wanted the rare administrative step to become a precedent.

He said, “The step (suspension) taken so far is satisfactory. The purpose of suspension is to have unhindered access to the investigation of the subject to avoid undue interference. It does not mean conviction yet.

“It is a preliminary step in criminal investigation. It is rarely applied in this part of the world because our public officers who are accused of infraction of our laws are seen to be above the law most times. We are surprised that this government took this step which they rarely take. Hope that this should be a precedent from now onwards.

“The result of the investigation will lead to the options available to the government of Nigeria. They have a right to, one, arrest and surrender him to America without the extradition process, two, the subject could opt to surrender himself willingly to America for investigation and to clear his name.

“Thirdly, the subject can be subjected to extradition process, in which case the judiciary shall be involved. The process will involve submission of evidence to satisfy the court of the culpability of the subject before the court will authorise his release to them for the investigation.

“The government can damn any consequence including diplomatic crisis and prefer to investigate and take disciplinary measures they deem appropriate against the subject, in which case the government may have to weigh the consequence of ignoring US’s request for his release.

“In all these options, the government is well advised to examine critically and in detail, the various consequences in whichever option they seek to follow or adopt.”

Edun, who is the national welfare secretary of the lawyers’ body, said, “The steps taken by the Nigerian Police Force are commendable so far. Abba Kyari has been placed on suspension from official duties. Both the IGP and the Police Service Commission are following up with the investigation panel.

“My concern is that the investigation should be transparent and not done secretly. If Abba Kyari is found culpable of the offence then he should be handed over to the FBI to answer the allegations against him. I don’t think FBI would want to rely on the investigation done by the Force.

“It should be noted that it is not Abba Kyari that is on trial but the entire Nigeria Police Force and its personnel. Nigeria is also on trial.

“Abba Kyari is just unfortunate to have been caught. There could be many like him in the Force who act as go in between for criminals or suspicious persons.”

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Force spokesman, Frank Mba made this known in a statement on Thursday.

Earlier, the United States District Court for the Central District of California said alleged international fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka 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.

Reaffirming the Force’s commitment to the pursuit of justice and the strengthening of its professional relationship with the FBI and other international partners, the IGP said further developments on the case will be communicated to members of the public accordingly.

An accused hero

Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police who is highly revered by colleagues in the Force and celebrated by members of the general public, was fingered in a bribery scandal involving the involving Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi.

A US court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for the seasoned investigator known for hunting down kidnappers across Nigeria.

The arrest warrant was issued by a U.S magistrate judge, Otis Wright, a spokesperson in the United States Attorney’s Office confirmed to Channels Television.

According to documents unsealed this week in the US, Mr Kyari had arrested and jailed one Chibuzo Vincent, at the behest of Hushpuppi.

Kyari also allegedly sent Hushpuppi bank account details for an account into which Hushpuppi could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment.

Mr Kyari, in a Facebook post on Thursday, denied the allegations.

Alleged dispute

On Wednesday, the US Department of Justice announced that Hushpuppi had been involved “in an elaborate scheme to steal more than $1.1 million from a business person attempting to finance the construction of a school for children in Qatar.”

Six persons were indicted in the investigation.

In laundering the proceeds of the Qatar operation, a dispute broke out among members of the conspiracy, courts documents said.

The dispute allegedly prompted Vincent, one of the members, to contact the victim and inform them of the scam operation.

After this contact, Hushpuppi allegedly arranged to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria by Mr Kyari, a top police officer in Nigeria.

Mr Kyari was also alleged to have provided third-party bank accounts to receive payment for the illegal arrest.

Kyari’s defence

In his defence on Thursday, Mr Kyari said Vincent had been arrested only because Hushpuppi claimed that he (Vincent) had seriously threatened to attack his family in Nigeria.

He said Vincent was eventually released on bail after no actual threats were discovered.

“Nobody demanded a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi,” Mr Kyari said.

“Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened,” Kyari said.”

Mr Kyari also said Hushpuppi once sent N300,000 to his (Kyari) tailor after the alleged fraudster had admired some of his outfits on social media.

The clothes “were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office,” Mr Kyari said.

Source: Channels tv

Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Mr Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, a notorious Nigerian fraudster.

Mr Abbas was arrested in Dubai last June and he pleaded guilty to fraud in the U.S. this week. The FBI said Messrs Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were both involved in a conspiracy to launder money.

Mr Kyari was also indicted of receiving bribes from Mr Abbas to arrest a member of the syndicate in Nigeria.

American prosecutors first sought a court warrant to arrest Mr Kyari on February 12, 2021, according to court documents seen by The Gazette. Another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021.

Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26. 

Mr Kyari in a hurried statement denied allegations of conspiracy with Hushpuppi, saying he only met him two years ago and did not benefit financially from the fraudster.

It was not immediately clear whether or not an extradition request has been filed for Mr Kyari. Attorney-General Abubakar Malami did not immediately return a request seeking comments from The Gazette.

The September 2019 trip was only an episode of a mutually-beneficial cozy affair of Messrs Kyari and Abbas’ that was uncovered by American authorities as part of their ongoing prosecution of Mr Abbas for multimillion-dollar Internet fraud.

Mr Abbas pleaded guilty this week after his legal representatives successfully negotiated a plea deal with prosecutors in Central California, court documents said. He faces up to 20 years in jail at sentencing in the coming weeks. He will also forfeit some of his plunder from years of online fraud and pay restitution to some of his victims, court filings said.

Following Mr Abbas’ guilty plea, additional documents showing how Mr Kyari was indicted as a member of Mr Abbas’ syndicate were unsealed. Peoples Gazette earlier published how Mr Abbas bribed Mr Kyari to arrest one of his gang members and throw him in jail following a dispute presumably over proceeds of their crime.

Additional details in the indictment file contained how Mr Kyari left his job as a police officer and travelled to Dubai to enjoy a good time with Mr Abbas, who lived at Palazzo Versace in the Emirati commercial capital.

Mr Abbas “sent a car and driver to drive” Mr Kyari around “during that trip,” FBI unsealed indictment said. Mr

Also during the trip, Mr Kyari bragged to Mr Abbas about some of his so-called crime-busting activities in Nigeria, to which Mr Abbas responded by playing allegiance to the police chief.

“Am really happy to be ur boy,” Mr Abbas told Mr Kyari in an intercepted message. “I promise to be a good boy to u sir.”

Mr Kyari is also mentioned in a document by the U.S. Department of Justice, carrying out Hushpuppi’s order to arrest and jail a fellow conspirator, Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, in a fraud scheme after a disagreement over a $1.1 million dupe of a Qatari businessperson.

Mr Kyari has gained popularity as a strict and upright cop who cracked down on violent crimes in Nigeria, including kidnapping and armed banditry despite the warnings and allegations that his methods were brutal and corrupt.

In 2018, rights group Amnesty International accused Mr Kyari of illegally depleting assets of a suspected criminal after his team shot the man dead on the highway. Collins Ezenwa’s wife at the time said Mr Kyari and his team withdrew money from her late husband’s bank account and cleared millions in accommodation proceeds from his hotels.

Mr Kyari, who was honoured at a special plenary by the Nigerian House of Representatives, denied allegations of corruption against him and his team members, but sidestepped specific charges linking him to depletion of confiscated assets.

The police chief has yet to return The Gazette’s requests for his comments about his indictment in the United States.