Suspended police chief, Abba Kyari, taken into the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday will be extradited to the United States after his probe for an illicit drug deal top sources have confirmed.
According to The Nation, the Federal Government had concluded plans with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) to hand over the deputy commissioner of police, who is wanted for taking bribe from suspected celebrity internet fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, from a $1.1million loot.
It was also learnt that the police authorities delayed action on Kyari for four days until the Presidency directed Inspector-General Baba Usman to release him to the NDLEA.
Shortly before he was released to the anti-drug agency alongside four other police officers indicted for the same misdemeanour, the NDLEA had declared Kyari wanted after announcing his involvement with drugs and releasing a video of his attempt to bribe operatives to the public.
Sources said President Muhammadu Buhari received a report on Kyari from the Chairman of the NDLEA, Gen. Buba Marwa.
The other suspects taken into custody are Sunday Ubuah, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP); Bawa James, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP); Inspector Simon Agrigba and Inspector John Nuhu.
According to a top source in the presidency, the Federal Government was already finalising the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with the U.S. on Kyari’s extradition.
A Presidency source said: “The Federal Government has made up its mind to extradite Kyari when the NDLEA is done with him. There is already an ongoing talk between Nigeria and the United States.
“Already, the US has forwarded indictment documents and some evidence to the Federal Government. It claimed that there is a prima facie case against Kyari. The arrest of the top police cop has confirmed the suspicion of the USA.
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“The final stage is the invocation of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and Kyari will be extradited to the United States for interrogation and trial.”
Another source said: “President Buhari was properly briefed by Gen. Marwa before the agency released its fact-sheet and video clip to the public.
“It was after the briefing that the agency set the machinery in motion to arrest Kyari and four others. Two drug suspects linked with the Kyari group are already in the agency’s custody.
“The interrogation of the five police officers will begin on Tuesday (today) alongside the two drug traffickers in NDLEA’s net.
“Both the traffickers and the police officers will have the opportunity to face detectives on how Kyari became an intermediary.
“It is expected that this action may lead to the unearthing of the drug cartel in the country.”
