The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami has dismissed the recent Corruption Perception Index released by the global anti-corruption campaign organisation, Transparency International, which rated Nigeria as the second most corrupt country in West Africa, after Guinea and 154th out of 180 countries ranked globally.
Malami spoke on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’. According to Malami, the regime led by the President Muhammadu Buhari , has been rated highly by global bodies over its anti-corruption drive.
The minister also refused to speak more on the trial of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawan, over alleged corruption, stating that it is a judicial affair.
The AGF also avoided giving full details on the indictment and the possibility of prosecuting a former Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.
Malami also described the trial of a Dubai-based Instagram sensation, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, in the United States of America over alleged Internet fraud as an international affair.
The AGF also said the American Government and the Nigerian Government are discussing the possible extradition of the suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, DCP Abba Kyari, for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and five others.
The minister also said reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established against Kyari.
The Nigeria Police Force had probed Kyari and transmitted its findings to Malami for “legal opinion.”
Malami said, “It is an issue that has international and national dimensions. Actions have been taken, it is a work in process locally and internationally and we are doing whatever it takes to ensure justice is done within the context of the law regardless of the personalities that are involved.
“When criminality is involved, Nigeria and the US naturally work together when there are elements of the offences that have taken place in the diverse jurisdictions. So, Nigeria is doing the needful by way of supporting what America is doing for the purpose of ensuring that the cases are tried accordingly within the American context of it. And then, eventually, if there is a need for local prosecution, nothing stops it.”
Commenting on the probe of Kyari, the AGF said, “There are a lot of issues that are ongoing including the possibility of consideration for extradition. That is where the collaboration element of it comes into play.”
Asked if a request for Kyari’s extradition had been made by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the minister said, “There could be a need or perhaps the possibility of making such a request.”
He added, “As far as I am concerned, the parties are discussing, the parties are collaborating, there are exchanges of correspondence from the perspective of investigation, from the perspective of extradition, and associated things.
“Reasonable grounds for suspicion have been established and that will eventually translate to the possibility of prosecution and conviction if indeed one is adjudged guilty by the law.”
FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent, allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.
Innocenti, who said he obtained voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi, had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.
The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California had ordered the FBI to arrest Kyari almost a year ago.
Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021, to deny the allegations, but he later deleted the post after editing it about 12 times.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had recommended the suspension of Kyari, which the Police Service Commission carried out on July 31, 2021.
The police boss had on August 2, 2021, constituted the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.
The findings of the probe panel had been transmitted to the AGF office which is responsible for matters regarding extradition, repatriation and transfer of suspects or wanted persons. It could be recalled that Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to various offences bordering on internet scam and money laundering, among others, risks “20 years’ imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offence.”