Published 15th Feb, 2022

By Lolade Olu-Ojegbeje

The story of super cop Abba Kyari is not unfamiliar to anyone who cares about Nigeria’s security. Following his arrest on Monday, it is important to examine the sins that led to his fall.

On June 25, Andrew Innocenti, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, filed a document titled “Criminal Complaint By Telephone or Other Reliable Electronic Means” at the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that Hushpuppi contracted Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to detain Chibuzo Vincent, a co-conspirator, for threatening to expose the alleged $1.1million fraud committed against a Qatari business person.

In the document, Innocenti claimed Hushpuppi paid $20,600 into a bank account provided by Kyari. This prompted the court to order that Kyari be detained for 10 days. Following the indictment, the PSC suspended Kyari from service on July 31. He also appeared before a probe panel where he reportedly denied any wrongdoing.

While several Nigerians awaited Kyari’s extradition to the US for trial on his alleged crime, the NDLEA announced that he was part of an international drug cartel, leading to his arrest. The agency also released a video of him sharing proceeds of a drug deal with an NDLEA officer.

Here are some of the sins that led to the downfall of Kyari, a police officer once celebrated.

LINKS TO CRIME

It is difficult to tell which is Kyari’s biggest scandal between his links to an international drug cartel, for which the NDLEA declared him wanted and subsequently arrested him on Monday, and his links to Rahmon Olorunwa Abas, populary known as Hushpuppi, an Instagram sensation and suspected internet fraudster.

In June 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Hushpuppi in Dubai on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and monetary transactions in property derived from a specified unlawful activity.

While in custody, Hushpuppi did not waste time in naming Kyari as one of his allies. Kyari was indicted by the FBI for his alleged role in a allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and his allies. Kyari was also alleged to have received a payment of N8 million or $20,600 from Hushpuppi for the detention of a co-conspirator, Chibuzo Vincent.

Following Kyari’s indictment by the FBI, he was suspended by the Nigerian police.

QUESTIONABLE RELATIONSHIPS

Kyari’s activities as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) became more questionable when he began to openly dine with people whose source of wealth was in question.

Abba Kyari and Obi Cubana — Kyari and Obi Cubana

Kyari had been photographed with the likes of Obi Iyegbu, known as Obi Cubana, whose wealth has been questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was also accused of being in a fraudulent relationship with Hushpuppi, who is currently being tried for fraud in the United States.

EXTORTION

In October 2018, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) wrote a petition to the then Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, accusing Kyari of illegally seizing the asset of one Collins Ezenwa, a notorious kidnapper.

Similarly, in October 2020, Afeez Mojeed, a Nigerian businessman, petitioned Lagos State judicial panel of enquiry investigating activities of officers of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), accussing Kyari of extorting over N41 million from him.

Kyari was alleged to have extorted Mojeed in 2014 when he was in charge of SARS in Lagos. He was also accused of detaining Mojeed for 14 days, during which the latter’s car and other belongings were seized and sold.

LIFESTYLE

People live however they want. But a flashy lifestyle and vain display of wealth is not for a public servant, and certainly not for a high-ranking police officer. Kyari did not seem to care about this as he openly displayed his wealth on social media.

While some of Kyari’s impacts as a policeman earned him the title, super cop, his sins are many, and may have brought about his downfall.

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