Abba Kyari
By Our Reporter
Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, has denied collecting $1.1million bribe from serial internet fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, who recently pleaded guilty in the United States.
Mr. Kyari reacted to Hushppupi’s allegation via his Facebook page on Thursday. He added that he only assisted Hushpuppi to get native clothes and caps worth N300,000.
DCP Kyari, however, admitted arresting Vincent but claimed he was released on bail to go and was not taken to any jail.
He wrote, “Friends; Abbas, who we later came to know as Hushpuppi, called our office about two 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 attacked his family.
“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.
“Later, he 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 N300,000 directly to the person’s account. The native clothes and caps (5 sets) were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. We responded to a distress call he made on threat to his family and released the suspect when we discovered there was no life threat from the suspect. This is the true story. Vincent is alive; he can be contacted.
“For those who are celebrating that this is an indictment on us and mentioning some fictitious big money, they will be disappointed once again as our hands are clean and our record of service for two decades is open for everybody to see. They will continue seeing us serving our father land and we will continue responding to all distress calls from all Nigerians provided they are life threatening.”
In a related development, A Court in the United States has issued a warrant of arrest for Abba Kyari, over his role with Hushpuppi’s multi-million naira fraud probe.
Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation to track down Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud.
Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.
It would be recalled that US Officials stated in court filings that Abbas disclosed during interrogation that he paid bribes to Nigeria’s police chief, Kyari, to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1million dupe of a Qatari businessperson.
Abbas had asked Kyari to arrest and jail a fellow fraudster Kelly Chibuzor Vincent after both were locked in a dispute presumably over how to share the $1.1million loot received from the Qatari businessperson.
The FBI said Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were involved in a conspiracy to launder money.
Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to various charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, and felony, among others, had alleged that he used Kyari, a leader of the Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team, to jail a fellow fraudster Kelly Chibuzor Vincent after both were locked in a dispute presumably over how to share the $1.1million loot received from the Qatari businessperson.
Vincent subsequently contacted the victim and informed them that they were being scammed by a syndicate involving him and Abbas, a US court document read.
Hushppupi will be sentenced in the coming weeks and will forfeit some of his assets and his rights to appeal while also paying restitution to victims of his years-long fraud.
