31 Northern Lawyers Offer To Defend Supercop Abba Kyari Against FBI Over Hushpuppi’s Fraud Case

A group of 31 lawyers from northern Nigeria have offered to provide free legal services to Abba Kyari, the former commander of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, who has been indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States of America over Hushpuppi’s fraud case..

Abba Kyari allegedly received roughly N8 million from Hushpuppi to assist in the arrest and custody of his rival, Chibuzo Kelly Vincent, following a disagreement over a fraud deal they engaged on, according to a report by the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI in the United States.

Sunusi Bappah Salisu, the lawyers’ spokesperson, claimed all the volunteer lawyers were selected from all 19 northern states and religions in a statement made on Wednesday, August 11.

“In apparent response to recent calls for support for Abba Kyari by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), a group of about 31 young northern Nigerian lawyers has volunteered to render legal services to the embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police.

“We would raise questions involving the possibility of the occasioning 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 recognised and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations and customs in force.”Salisu said

But Kyari, popularly known as “super cop” because of his resourcefulness in leading his team to bust criminals, denied ever collected money from Hushpuppi, in a Facebook post.

According to him, it was the fraudster who raised a false alarm in a distress message sent to his office to have his associate (Vincent) arrested because of a threat to life.

Kyari has been suspended by the Police Service Commission as Head of the Intelligence Response Team based on the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba. A panel has also been established to probe the matter.