Citizens Advocacy Centre (CAC), a civil society group, says no criminal case has been established against the suspended celebrated Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, after all investigations were concluded contrary.
The Chairman of the group and a lawyer, Mr Joseph Donald, said this in a statement on Thursday, in Abuja.
Donald dismissed a report that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, said that Nigeria was already holding talks with the U.S. to extradite Kyari.
He said the final letter from AGF was very clear on the fact that all investigations conducted had cleared DCP Kyari of all criminal and corruption allegations.
According to him, the letter from the AGF clearly stated that no dime was given to Kyari by Hushpuppi or anybody under prosecution in USA as celebrated during the media trial in 2021 as no evidence provided against an officer of high standing like Kyari.
“It, therefore, leaves much to be desired to hear that Nigeria is in discussion with the U.S. government over Kyari’s extradition.
“What the Honourable Minister said was, if there was any criminal case found in the investigations, it might warrant commencing a process of extradition.
“He was clear on it and the minister also knows that the process of extradition is cumbersome and difficult and not a straight jacket.
“Because there’s a court of law, which usually adjudicates to determine if there is a criminal case committed and there are more than enough criminal evidence warranting extraditions or trial of the case here in Nigeria.
“In this case, the first investigation, resulted in nothing but cleared Kyari’s name,” he said.
Donald further said that another investigation had also cleared Kyari on all criminal/corruption grounds, saying it was clear from all investigations that two key areas of infractions on police duties were mentioned against Kyari.
He disclosed that one was on the use of social media to defend himself without IGP permission and two, commencing the process of investigating a reported case without due process of getting approved petition from the IGP.
According to him, these infractions were deemed disciplinary offenses relating to internal police matters and not corruption or criminal offences.
“The group stands shoulder to shoulder with Kyari and no Nigerian must be bullied or wrongly accused of committing a crime by world powers and be allowed to be extradited.
“We shall provide legal support for Kyari if needed.
“Kyari definitely stepped on toes while discharging his duties and these influential people feel this is the right time to pay him back, all for defending and serving his fatherland.
“Unfortunately, the same Nigerians engaging in hysteria about Kyari are the same people crying over increase in spate of kidnapping and abduction, criminality and bandit attacks across the country,” he said.
The group leader called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his good office and return Kyari to his office to arrest increasing rate of insecurity in the country.
(NAN)
