The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has revealed what will determine if embattle Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari will be extradited to the United States of America.
Malami said the decision to extradite Kyari to the United States will be decided by the court, adding that due process would be followed to extradite Kyari following a request by a US court.
The Minister of Justice disclosed this on Thursday during an interview with Voice Of American (VOA).
He noted that though there is a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and the US, there are guidelines to be followed.
“Yes, we have bilateral agreement between Nigeria and USA on extraditing anyone who commits any offence in any of the countries, be it Nigeria or United States but there are guidelines and the guidelines are when the country writes a letter to the foreign affairs ministry, and the foreign affairs will send to the minister of justice…so the court will give permission for extradition of any one to go and answer some questions in United states based on the allegations,” he said.
Malami further stated that one of the countries can write the other if their citizen committed a crime in the other country, to ask for the extradition of the offender.
“I am not saying Abba Kyari will be extradited but the law will be followed judiciously before taking any action,” he said.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that the United States Department of Justice had said ongoing investigations showed that Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi allegedly bribed Kyari to arrest one Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, one of his accomplices in Nigeria.
According to a court document released by the United States Department of Justice on Wednesday, titled: ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds’, Kyari was said to have been bribed to arrest one Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, 40, in Nigeria, who created bogus documents and arranged for the creation of a fake bank website and phone banking line to support the defrauding of a business person trying to provide $1.1m for the funding of a school in Qatar.
Recall that United States District Court of California on April 29, 2021, requested a 10-day pre-trial detention of Kyari on criminal grounds.
The papers filed in US court were signed by Acting US Attorney, Tracy Wilkinson and two other officials.
The documents read, “Plantiff, United States of America, by and through its court of records hereby requests detention of defendant (Abba Kyari) and gives notice of the following factors:
“Pre-trial detention requested (S 3142(e)) because no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure:
“a. The appearance of the defendant as required
“b. Safety of any other person and the community.”