The inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Usman Baba has rejected the report of the Special Investigation Panel which he set up on August 1 to probe the alleged involvement of Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in shady deals with the alleged fraudster, Hushpuppi.
“The panel concluded its investigation and submitted its report to the IG last Thursday or Friday but the IG rejected it. He was not comfortable with the panel findings and recommendations because it was too lenient on Kyari.” A source told The Punch.
Kyari, was until the crisis erupted, head of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team, and is under investigation for his alleged involvement in a $1.1m Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by an Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi and four others; AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Agbabiaka (Bolamide).
The FBI had claimed that Kyari detained Chibuzor at the behest of Hushpuppi for one month to enable the latter and his co-conspirators to fleece their Qatari victim of over $1m.
The four-man panel headed by the Deputy Inspector -General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, submitted its findings to the IG after two weeks.
During its sittings, Kyari appeared several times before the panel where he dismissed the allegations of conniving with Hushpuppi to defraud the Qatari businessman.
Our correspondent gathered that the SIP sessions with Kyari were relaxed and cordial, a situation that gave the DCP the confidence that he would be absolved of the allegations. The Punch reported
Egbunike and Kyari were said to have had a long term relationship since the former was an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the police Accounts Department where he served for over 15 years.