CLOSE UP: How Hushpuppi’s ‘Fashion Designer’, Super Cop Kyari Rose And Fell
For his achievements in bursting criminals and confronting all forms of insecurity, Abba Kyari became Nigeria’s super cop. The toast of many police officers. The most decorated police officer succeeded in arresting high profile criminals like Chukwudi Onuamadike, the notorious kidnap kingpin better known as Evans, in 2017.
He said the kidnapper gave him $2 million if he could keep quiet and let him go but he did not collect. This revelation fetched him a round of applause from many including the presidency.
In 2019, Kyari’s team busted Taraba’s most wanted kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Wadume. Unfortunately, soldiers opened fire on the police officers along Ibi-Wukari Road while driving Wadume to Jalingo. Three officers and a civilian died in the process.
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After the death of former Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Kyari led the team that arrested the killers and he also helped government to capture Boko-Haram Commander Umar Abdulmalik alongside eight of his terrorist gang members.
For these feats, he won the police medal for courage three years in a row (2012, 2013 and 2014), and the House of Representatives last year honoured him for his hard work and outstanding performance over the years in the Nigeria Police.
Kyari got the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari who honoured him with the Presidential Medal for Courage in April 2016. He is also a three-time recipient of the Lagos State Governor’s Award for Gallantry, Leadership and Service Excellence in 2011, 2012, 2013, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Commendation Award for Courage in 2011.
He was declared Africa’s Best Detective in 2018. Kyari recently bagged the best police officer of the decade award and the 2018 hero of the year award by the Silverbird Group.
His dubious activities with Hushpuppi
Hushpuppi was a widely known ‘Instagram celebrity’ in Nigeria. Before his arrest in June 2020, he had a global following of over 2.5 million on Instagram, where he posted pictures and videos of his exotic cars, watches, designer clothes, and bags from luxury brands like Gucci, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton. He also shared posts of himself boarding helicopters with celebrities, footballers, and Nigerian politicians.
He was busted last year by FBI in Dubai and was extradited to the U.S. to face trial. He recently name Kyari as part of those who made his fraudulent activities successful in the past. Hushpuppi had disagreement with his co-fraudster, Vincent Kelly Chibuzo, over a $1.1 million fraudulent deal against a Qatari businessman, he reportedly contacted Kyari to arrest Chibuzo and Kyari sent pictures of Chibuzo in jail to Hushpuppi.
Kyari allegedly sent a bank account number to Hushppupi to wire the fee for the arrest and detention of his co-fraudster. This triggered outrage on social media and in swift reaction, Kyari said he only helped the fraudster to facilitate the purchase of native attires. He said Hushppupi directly paid about N300,000 into the seller’s account.
Nigerians felt Kyari was economical with the truth and FBI further revealed that he got N8 million from Hushpuppi.
The Fall
Following his recent entanglement with Hushpuppi, the police authorities have ordered and Kyari has been suspended by Police Service Commission as recommended by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba.
The spokesperson of the force, Frank Mba, said in a statement on Sunday that “the suspension is also expected to create an enabling environment for the NPF Special Investigation Panel to carry out its investigations into the weighty allegations against DCP Abba Kyari without interference.”
“The suspension is without prejudice to the constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the officer. The probe panel will be led by Joseph Egbunike, deputy inspector-general of police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID).”
“The SIP, inter alia, is to undertake a detailed review of all the allegations against DCP Abba Kyari by the US Government as contained in relevant documents that have been availed of the NPF by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The SIP is also to obtain detailed representation of DCP Abba Kyari to all the allegations levelled against him, conduct further investigations as it deems fit, and submit recommendations to guide further actions by the force Leadership on the matter.”
On Monday, the IGP appointed Tunji Disu as Kyari’s replacement.
