A warrant of arrest has been issued against a Deputy Commissioner of Nigerian Police, Abba Kyari, following his indictment in the ongoing trial of Nigerian fraudster Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, known as Hushpuppi, in the United States.
The warrant was issued by Otis Wright, a judge in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, on July 26.
It was gathered that the court ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Kyari and produce him in the United States to face trial for his roles in the fraud.
Kyari was said to have been bribed by Hushpuppi to have Chibuzo Vincent, one of his rivals, arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1 million fraud of a Qatari businessperson.
According to court documents, Hushpuppi allegedly conspired with five others – including Vincent – to defraud the businessperson (whose name was withheld) by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance the construction of a school in Qatar.
The document also said Hushpuppi worked with some of his partners in crime, including 28-year-old Abdulrahman Juma from Kenya and 40-year-old Chibuzo Vincent from Nigeria. Others were: Yusuf Anifowoshe, 26; Rukayat Fashola, 28; and Bolatito Agbabiaka, 34.
Kyari had denied the allegation in a statement on his Facebook page.
He, however, admitted to have collected the sum of N300,000 sent by the suspected international fraudster for clothes and caps.
He clarified that the money was sent to the cloth seller’s account and not his own.
He also admitted to have arrested the suspect on the behest of Hushpuppi but at no cost.
“Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about 2 years ago that somebody in Nigeria seriously threatened to kill his Family here in Nigeria and he sent the person’s Phone number and pleaded we take action before the Person attacks his family,” he said.
“We traced and arrested the Suspect and after investigations we discovered there wasn’t an 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 to go and he was not taken to any jail.
“Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to Save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on Thursday ordered the review of the allegation against Abba Kyari by the FBI.
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