Famous rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has advised the Police Service Commission, PSC, to excuse one of its members, Austin Braimoh from participating in the probe of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari over his link with internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group warned against denigrating the image of Nigeria before the international community.
“HURIWA is warming the federal government to stop bringing international opprobrium on the Nigerian state. We must not behave like a pariah state by failing to cooperate or partner with the United States of America in this and many other matters.
“We warn that this Abba Kyari’s matter is purely a diplomatic matter and not a matter that should be looked upon with the binoculars of ethnic and religious prisms. It is our international image as Nigerians that is at the risk of being bastardized should President Muhammadu Buhari not follow the international law in handling this matter.
HURIWA also recalled that the United States Department of Justice had said ongoing investigations showed that 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 titled: ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds’, Kyari was alleged 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 indicted officer Alhaji Abba Kyari has already denied the allegations, stating that he did not demand any money from Hushpuppi, admitting however of being an intermediary between the fraudster and a local tailor in which Hushpuppi allegedly made payments.
HURIWA chided Braimoh for allegedly “displaying open and crude partiality in the matter when he said the PSC would not be bound by the IGP’s review of the allegations against Kyari,” noting that the commission has no position on the allegation for now.
The group continued: “Mr. Austin Braimoh has already expressed his mindset which is biased in favour of the indicted Alhaji Abba Kyari when the said commissioner of the Police Service Commission Mr Austin Braimoh said thus: “We heard that a United States Court either indicted or ordered his arrest.” (Vanguard)
