Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has claimed that the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and some other political forces in the north are blocking the extradition of Abba Kyari to the United States.
HURIWA made this claim in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko.
Recall that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation had requested that Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, be tried in the United States for his involvement with internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Ray Hushpuppi.
The rights group explained that the AGF office allowed the extradition of Kyari to linger so much till after nearly a year before it announced this week that the Nigerian government was willing to extradite him to the United States.
However, a few hours later, the media revealed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had since February filed eight counts against Kyari before a Federal High Court and that Kyari would be arraigned on March 7.
The DCP has been kept in NDLEA custody since February 14 when he was arrested for attempting to sell 25kg of cocaine.
“The AGF and some northern political forces must be on a conspiratorial mission because as long as Kyari is facing charges in Nigeria, he cannot be extradited to the US based on the Extradition Treaty between Nigeria and the United States,” the group’s statement said.
HURIWA said that it is either that the AGF is not even aware that NDLEA had filed charges or he knew but still authorised the filing of an extradition application even when aspects of the Extradition Treaty between Nigeria and the USA says no extradition will happen if the accused person is facing same or another charge or charges at the time of filing the extradition application.
“Malami needs to explain why his office did not ask the NDLEA not to file charges so the extradition application goes first,” it said.