US to offer Kyari legal representation, keeps mum on extradition – Newstrends
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US to offer Kyari legal representation, keeps mum on extradition

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DCP Abba Kyari

THE Department of Justice of the United States of America has declined comments on the planned extradition of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.

The justice department, however, reiterated that Kyari is facing charges filed in 2021 which led to his indictment, adding that he would be offered legal representation in the US.

In an email to an inquiry sent by Sunday PUNCH, Thom Mrozek, the Director of media relations of the United States Attorney’s Office said, “ We will not have any comment in relation to a pending extradition request for any defendant.

“In relation to Mr Kyari, he already faces charges that we filed last year in Los Angeles after a federal grand jury issued an indictment.

“I can tell you that all criminal defendants in the United States are entitled to legal representation.”

The PUNCH had reported that Kyari was suspended in July 2021 by the Inspector- General of Police, Usman Baba, for alleged involvement in a $1.1 million Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and four others; AbdulRahman  Juma (Abdul); Vincent Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Agbabiaka (Bolamide).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had alleged that Hushpuppi paid $20,600 to two bank accounts allegedly provided by Kyari on January 20, 2020.

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FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, adding that Hushpuppi also paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent.

The US court had ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari.

The PUNCH had also reported how the suspended DCP had been detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency since February 14,2022 for attempting to sell 25kg of cocaine which was seized from some drug dealers.

 The NDLEA had also accused him of being a drug kingpin.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, in a statement by his Media Aide, Umar Gwandu, last week stated that the Nigerian government was willing to extradite Kyari to the United States where he has been indicted for his role in an international fraud involving Hushpuppi.

The NDLEA revealed that it had filed eight counts against Kyari before a Federal High Court on Monday and that Kyari would be arraigned on March 7.

But some Senior Advocate of Nigeria in separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH argued that since the US had already concluded its investigations and charges had been filed, the final decision to extradite the embattled cop lies on the court.

In an interview with our correspondent, Mr Ebunolu Adegboruwa,SAN,  said, “ Seeing what Hushpuppi himself has gone through in the United States of America, he has confessed to the crimes and he has pleaded for a plea bargain.

“Documents have been admitted so it would be easier to conduct the prosecution of Abba Kyari since investigations in that case has already been concluded . It’s better in law that he should go and face the charges against him in US so he can exonerate himself.

“The final decision on the extradition, however, depends on the judge. The AGF has submitted the request and the NDLEA has also filed the charges”.

Another SAN, Chief Mike Ozekhome in a separate interview with Sunday PUNCH argued that Abba Kyari is still presumed innocent until proven guilty, hence the court will have the final decision.

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He said, “The issue as to whether or not the court will refuse the extradition of Abba Kyari seeing as he is undergoing a case in Nigeria has been laid to rest in section 9 of the Extradition Act, which states that:

“Hearing of a case by magistrate and committal or discharge of prisoner, when a fugitive criminal is brought before a magistrate on a warrant under section 7 of this Act, or when, in the case of a fugitive criminal brought before a magistrate on a provisional warrant under section 8 of this Act and remanded in pursuance of subsection (5) of the said section 8, an order of the Attorney-General under section 6 of this Act relating to that fugitive is received, the magistrate shall proceed with the case as in the same manner, as near as may be, and shall have the same jurisdiction and powers, as if the fugitive were brought before him charged with an offence committed within his jurisdiction.

“It is important to also say that while the matter is going on in court, the alleged criminal is assumed innocent until proven guilty as contained in section 36 (5) which is stated thus:

(5) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty:

Provided that nothing in this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes such person the burden of providing particular facts.

“Even when the Federal High Court gives its judgment against Abba Kyari, he is entitled to appeal such a matter at the Court of Appeal and even further appeal same at the Supreme Court”.

Also, another SAN, Yomi Aliyu said, “The duty of the AGF is to file an application for extradition in court. The defendant which in this case is Abba Kyari can raise a defence and when these have been done, the final decision lies with the judge. The judge has a discretion to determine whether or not the purported trial is fluke.”

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Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

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Miss Faith Omodon

Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

Two suspects are in the custody of the Edo State Police Command in connection with the disappearance and death of a 200-level undergraduate of Delta State University of Science and Technology, Agbor, Miss Faith Omodon.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the inhabitants of Iru Egbede community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State had, on March 30, reported the sudden disappearance of their daughter who was studying Business Administration at DELSU.

The father of the missing girl, Edward Omodon, had told our correspondent that his daughter was last seen on March 30, after she left home for the farm on a motorcycle. He said the incident occurred when the community was holding their national conference.

“We usually have the Iru National Conference at this time of the year. We were seated inside the community hall when we heard loud wailing outside that my daughter was missing. She had left for the farm earlier that morning with a motorcycle, taking her breakfast in a flask with her,” he said.

However, our correspondent gathered on Sunday that the community’s vigilante group arrested and handed over two suspects in connection with the disappearance.

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Speaking with PUNCH Metro on the incident, on Sunday, the National Youth Chairman of Iru- Egbede, Donald Isioma, disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Saturday afternoon.

He said the two were arrested when the phone of the deceased was tracked and traced to the suspects.

Isioma added, “The police have recovered the phone from the suspects and the motorbike Omodon rode to the farm on the day she went missing.

“One of the suspects who is a member of the community has confessed that they had killed the girl while being interrogated at the Okpaihe Police Station before the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Benin.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said information concerning the arrest had yet to reach him but promised to get back as soon as he contacted men of the SCID. He had yet to do that as of the time of filing this report on Sunday evening.

Missing Delta varsity female student found dead, two suspects arrested

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NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves

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NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Sunday said the air components of Operations Hadin Kai and Whirl Punch in the North East and North Central killed many terrorists in airstrikes in Borno and Niger.

The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, disclosed this in a statement.

Gabkwet said the air components had continued to obliterate terrorists and destroy their structures, equipment and mobility, thereby limiting their ability to attack ground troops and innocent Nigerians at will.

He said that in the North East, the air interdiction was on May 3 authorized and conducted over Chinene, a location tucked inside the Mandara Mountain.

He said terrorists had been observed to be emanating from various locations and assembling ostensibly for a meeting.

According to him, seven gun trucks were also observed parked under trees within the same location.

Gabkwet said the aircraft bombarded the assembly area and tree coverings and destroyed their weapons and mobility.

He said that the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the strikes were successful as several terrorists were neutralised and logistics destroyed.

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He said similar airstrikes were conducted same day by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in a pre-emptive air strikes over terrorists hibernating at Allawa village, near Shiroro town in Niger.

The NAF spokesman said the mission was conducted following credible intelligence which revealed the migration of terrorists into the village after the mass exit of locals for fear of their safety.

He said the terrorists had, on May 1, stormed the deserted Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area and torched the Central Primary School.

“In the evening of the same day, another group of terrorists also arrived at the location, wielding AK-47/49 rifles after invading Galapai village in Galadima Kogo District of Shiroro.

“Accordingly, to prevent further occupation as well as pursue the terrorists from the location, the air component scrambled a formation of its platforms to attack the location.

“On arrival at the location, several terrorists were sighted and engaged effectively.

“Furthermore, following credible intelligence as well as detailed aerial observation, which confirmed the presence of their cache of arms hidden inside Allawa Forest, the air component further carried out air strikes at the location,” he said.

Gabkwet also said that the NAF carried out air strikes North of Arugbana and Temakiri in the Niger Delta, where illegal refining sites were observed and destroyed.

He said through this action, the capabilities of oil thieves to continually sabotage and destroy oil pipelines were minimised.

 

NAF airstrikes kill scores of terrorists in Borno, Niger enclaves

(NAN)

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Why five Ondo kidnappers slept off after abducting pastor’s wife – Police

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Abayomi Oladipo, Ondo commissioner of police (CP)

Why five Ondo kidnappers slept off after abducting pastor’s wife – Police

Akure —Police detectives have arrested five suspected kidnappers, who slept off after abducting a pastor’s wife and two other persons.

The suspects reportedly slept off after taking hard drugs. Vanguard gathered that the three victims escaped after their abductors slept off.

The suspects include Garuba Mumuni, 27; Yusuf Tale, 21; Kabiru Muhammed, 16, Shaibu Umar and Adamu Mohammed, 22.
Police source said the suspects were arrested by men of the Ofosu Division after the victims identified one of them.
According to the police, “A case of kidnapping was reported at Ofosu Division, that a pastor’s wife and a member were kidnapped in the church while the third victim was kidnapped while picking snails on the farm.

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“The victims, however, escaped from their assailants at different dates after they had taken hard drugs and slept off.
“Through intelligence, on May 1, 2024, five among the six kidnappers were arrested by men of Ofosu division and have been identified by the victims as part of the gang that abducted them.

The state Police Commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Oladipo added that one Adetokunbo Adesina, who claimed to have been hired to kill over 500 persons, was also arrested after his last victim paid him N110,000.

Why five Ondo kidnappers slept off after abducting pastor’s wife – Police

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