At least 31 lawyers from the northern part of the country have indicated interest in defending the embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who was recently suspended in connection with a $1.1m scam involving an internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas also known as Hushpuppi.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by Barrister Bappah Salisu, who spoke on behalf of the 31 legal practitioners from 19 Northern States.
According to the statement, the lawyers decided to offer the free legal service to Abba Kyari following a call by the Coalition of Northern Groups which demanded that the fundamental human right of the embattled police boss must be protected.
The Northern group had made the call following an indictment by a court in the United States of America after the discovery of Abba Kyari’s tie with Hushpuppi.
Speaking on the move by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to extradite Kyari to the United States, the group of lawyers said the FBI did not follow due procedure, stressing that they breached international protocol.
“We would raise questions involving the possibility of breaches to Kyari’s fundamental rights entrenched in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right which essentially state that every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person and every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard.
“This comprises: the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations and customs in force.
“The right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court or tribunal; the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice; the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court or tribunal”, the group added.