The embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari has made his first appearance before a Special Investigation Panel (SIP), set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to investigate accusations levelled against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
It would be recalled that Kyari was indicted by the FBI over his alleged collusion in a $1.1 million cyber fraud involving the internet fraudster, Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi.
It was gathered that Kyari appeared before the SIP for the first time on Tuesday in Abuja to present his defence.
The SIP is headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike.
Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported that the FBI alleged that Hushpuppi paid Kyari $20,600, about N8 million to detain a co-conspirator, Chibuzor Vincent, after the latter threatened to expose the $1.1 million fraud to the victim, a Qatari businessman.
Though Kyari denied the allegations, the Police Service Commission (PSC), at the recommendation of the IGP, suspended the police officer on Sunday, after he acknowledged the receipt of FBI’s allegations against the cop, and ordered a probe into the matter.
Baba had also on Monday appointed Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to replace Kyari as the new Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team.
