The House of Representatives has said a former Commander of
the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari,
will remain its honouree until he is found guilty of the allegations against
him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.
Kyari has been suspended by the Police Service Commission on
the recommendation of the IGP, Usman Baba, pending his investigation by
Nigeria’s police authorities.
The House, on June 11, 2020, honoured Kyari for his
exceptional service to the Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria.
The invitation and honour followed a motion moved by the member representing Chibok Federal Constituency in Borno State, Ahmad Jaha, two days earlier.
Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, was invited into the
chamber to appear before the lawmakers in plenary.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, had paid tributes in glowing
terms to the police officer, whom he described as an intelligent man.
Gbajabiamila said, “We have with us an officer and a
gentleman. We have with us in the chamber today a man that has proved himself
to be worthy of the highest commendation; the man who has spent the latter
years of his life, at least in the last 20 years, serving the people of
Nigeria.
“Many of us may have
heard of him; many of us may have seen him. But today, the House of
Representatives, in its wisdom and having followed his career over the years,
and witnessed on a daily and yearly basis how he put his life on the line for
our great country, has deemed it worthy to commend and to honour him.”
Several members of the House had also paid tribute to Kyari,
calling on the Federal Government to give him a national award.
In his response, Kyari said about 20 members of the IRT had
lost their lives in the line of duty. He dedicated the award to them, saying
the honour had boosted the morale of his men.
However, the FBI has alleged an international fraudster and
money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, paid N8m or $20,600 to
the embattled Kyari, to arrest and detain a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Kelly
Vincent.
A document issued by the United States District Court for
the Central District of California and dated February 12, 2021, alleged that
Hushpuppi contracted the services of the IRT commander after Chibuzo allegedly
threatened to expose an alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari
businessman.
When contacted on Monday to speak on the honour bestowed on
Kyari, after being named in the scandal, the Chairman of the House Committee on
Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, said the DCP was still innocent until
proven guilty.
Kalu said, “The position
of our law is that you are innocent until you are proved guilty. It is not the
only award that he has. We cannot begin to strip him of his award; he is a
suspect at the moment. Lawmakers are not lawbreakers.
“The constitution says you are innocent until proved guilty.
But if at the end of the day, he is convicted, then the House would have a
reason to review its position. But at the moment, he is still under
investigation.”
The FBI criminal complaint lodged at the United States
District Court in California had listed Hushpuppi and Kyari among six suspects
indicted in a $1.1m international fraud conspiracy.
The other suspects include AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent
Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito
Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
Kyari, who is
popularly known as ‘super cop,’ has been under fire since the FBI, last
Wednesday, unsealed a 69-page court document showing that he was under
investigation by the bureau for his alleged link to Hushpuppi, who had pleaded
guilty to fraud.
In the case marked 2:21-cr-00203, USA VS Abba Alhaji Kyari
dated April 29, 2021, the FBI asked a US District Court in California to order
the arrest of Kyari for 10 days.
Like Kyari, the House, under Gbajabiamila’s leadership, on
September 18, 2019, honoured the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, for
the free air services offered by his domestic airline to the Federal Government
for the evacuation of Nigerians under xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Later, on October 10, 2019, the House honoured recipients of
the ‘Best Principal’ and ‘Best Teachers’ awards, Agnes Iyabo Elusakin and Pius
Ikuseyidunmi, respectively, who were among the three teachers of Lagos State
that won the 2019 President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award.
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