Nigerian Government has granted the request by the United States of America to extradite Abba Kyari, the suspended super cop who was the head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, over his alleged involvement in $1.1 million wire fraud.
Abubakar Malami , Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation disclosed this when he applied for Kyari’s extradition before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The application “for the surrender of Abba Alhaji Kyari, who is a subject in a superseding three-count indictment” was filed under the Extradition Act and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022.
According to Malami, the crime Kyari is accused of is neither political nor minor.
“If surrendered, he will not be prejudiced at his trial and will not be punished, detained, or restricted in his personal liberty by reason of his race, nationality, or political opinions,” the AGF explained.
He further stated that surrendering him will not be unfair or burdensome, nor will it be an excessive penalty, given the circumstances of the crime.
While noting that the suspended super cop had been charged with the crime for which his surrender is being sought, Malami said that Kyari was not facing any criminal charges in Nigeria for the same offence.
In April 2021, a jury filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the U.S. District Court and demanded that Kyari stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
The US Embassy requested Kyari’s extradition after a deputy clerk of the court issued a warrant of arrest.