Federal High Court dismisses FG’s application for permission to extradite Abba Kyari

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application that the Federal Government filed for permission to extradite the detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari, to the United States of America, USA, to face trial over his alleged involvement with an internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.

Delivering judgment, the judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the extradition application the Federal government filed through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, was incompetent and bereft of merit.

Justice Ekwo held that Mr Malami, being the Chief Law Officer of the country, ought to be aware that the Extradition Act, which is clear that Kyari, having been docked before a court of competent jurisdiction in the country, shall not be surrendered until such case had been discharged either by his conviction or acquittal.

The court wondered why the AGF approached the court with the extradition application when he was equally the one that issued FIAT to the National Drug Law Enforcement, NDLEA, to prosecute DCP Kyari on drug-related charges.

Justice Ekwo dismissed the extradition request for being incompetent.