Kyari Appears Before Panel, Mounts Defence Against Hushpuppi’s Allegations

The suspended former Head of the Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, has appeared before the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike.

Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, presented his defence to the SIP at the Force headquarters,Abuja, on Tuesday.

Our correspondent gathered that the SIP ended the session around 8pm.

A source said:

“The panel started sitting since Monday. Kyari appeared before the panel members today (Tuesday) during which he presented his defence to the indictment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the SIP members. The panel would take it from there.”

Kyari is under investigation for involvement in a $1.1m Internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, and five others.

The FBI had claimed that Kyari detained one Kelly Chibuzor at the behest of Hushpuppi for one month to enable the latter and his co-conspirators fleece their Qatari victim of over $1m.

The agency also said Hushpuppi paid $20,600 to two bank accounts allegedly provided by the former IRT commander in January 20, 2020.

Kyari has denied wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the new Head of the Intelligence Response Team, Tunji Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, resumed at the Guzape, Abuja headquarters of the unit on Tuesday.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, approved the posting of Disu as the unit head on Monday following the police management’s decision to fill the leadership gap within the IRT caused by Kyari’s removal on Sunday.

An operative informed our correspondent that Disu breezed into the IRT headquarters on Tuesday and later left for an undisclosed location after spending some minutes.