Breaking: Police Service Commission Suspends Abba Kyari, Asks IGP To Update It With Developments

By Gideon Njoku

It must have broken the hearts of members, but the Police Service Commission, PSC has, finally, suspended embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari, from duties.

The PSC is the only body authorised by the Constitution to discipline any erring Police Officer, aside from the Inspector General of Police who is the responsibility of the President.

Kyari’s suspension by the PSC follows a letter to the Commission by the IGP,  Alkali Usman Baba, which recommended that the top Cop be suspended from office pending the report of an investigation of him based on the damning allegation against him in the US, by international Internet fraudster. Ramon Abass, popular as Hushpuppi.

Abbas had alleged that he bribed Kyari with the sum of $1.1m to arrest and detain a co-fraudster, one Kelly Chibuzor Vincent.

Based on that, the FBI indicted Kyari, and a warrant of arrest issued by a US Court against him.

The PSC’s suspension of Kyari was contained in a statement dated Sunday, August 1, 2021, signed by the Information Officer of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani.

Following is the full text of the release:

FBI INDICTMENT:PSC SUSPENDS DCP ABBA KYARI, DIRECTS IGP TO FURNISH IT WITH INFORMATION ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

“The Police Service Commission has suspended Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force from the exercise of the Powers and functions of his office .

Abba Kyari’s suspension took effect from Saturday, July 31st  2021 and would subsist pending the outcome of the investigation in respect of his indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States .

“The Commission has also directed the Inspector General of Police to furnish it with information on further development on the matter for necessary further action.

The Commission’s decision which was conveyed in a letter with reference, PSC/POL/D/153/vol/V/138 to the Inspector General of Police today, Sunday, August 1st, 2021, was signed by Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner 1 in the Commission for the Commission’s  Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired Inspector General of Police who is currently on leave.”

The IGP had, on Saturday, pending the suspension of Kyari by the PSC, set up an Investigation Panel, headed by the DIG, Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCDI, DIG Joseph Egbunike to investigate the damning allegations against Kyari.