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Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit by the Federal Government seeking to extradite the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP, Abba Kyari to the United States of America.

The Judge in a judgment on Monday held that the Extradition request filed by the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Abubakar Malami SAN on behalf of the Federal Government lacked merit and was liable to dismissal.

The Federal Government filed the extradition charges against Kyari to pave way for his extradition to America to answer fraud allegations in the United States of America.
Justice Ekwo, however, held that the Federal Government has no basis to file the Extradition request having put Abba Kyari on trial in Nigeria in relation to the allegations against him in America.
The Judge specifically held that the Federal Government’s request for Extradition was “strange, incompetent and bereft of merit”.

“Malami being the Chief Law Officer of the country, ought to be aware that the Extradition Act, forbids the surrendering of a defendant that is already facing trial before a competent court in the country,” Justice Ekwo said.
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.

“The AGF could not say that he was not aware of the pending proceeding against the defendant which was entered against him by the NDLEA”, Justice Ekwo added.
He said the law was clear that Kyari, having been put on trial before a court of competent jurisdiction in the country, “shall not be surrendered until the such case has been discharged either by his conviction or acquittal”.

Consequently, the court held that the extradition request was incompetent and deserved to be dismissed.
Justice Ekwo had on June 3, reserved the matter for judgment, after he heard from the Federal Government’s lawyer, Mr. Pius Akutah, and that of Kyari, Mr. Nureni Jimoh, SAN.

While the Federal Government maintained that it had met all conditions precedent for the suspended DCP to be extradited to the US to answer to a criminal charge that is pending against him, on the other hand, Kyari, challenged the legal competence of the extradition request against him.

Kyari, who is currently in prison custody for drug-related charges, had told the court that contrary to the allegation against him, he had some months before Hushpuppi was arrested, sent a letter to both the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, notifying them that he had opened a channel of communication with the suspected internet fraudster, in furtherance of an ongoing investigation.

Kyari is wanted in the U.S. to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

On April 29, 2021, a grand jury filed an indictment against him with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, after which a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Hushpuppi had earlier pleaded guilty to the alleged $1.1million fraud charge against him, even as the US Attorney’s Office for Central District of California, Los Angeles, revealed that he would be sentenced on September 21.

When Dejan Stojanovic said, “Knighthood lies above eternity; it doesn’t live off fame, but rather deeds. He was apt in identifying the embodiment of this title for any individual bequeathed with such honour in recognition of their tireless efforts to mankind.

For the first time in the history of Blessed Micheal Tansi Catholic Church 7^th Battalion located at Goderich, Freetown Sierra Leone Sir Christopher Ahonkhai attained one of the highest offices in the Catholic mission as the first Knight in the Blessed Micheal Tansi Catholic Church.

As he was presented before the congregation comprised of friends well-wishers and family members who gathered to relieve the joy of the day with him, by the officiating Clergies Rev, Father Leonard Bangura and Rev. Father Peter Conteh who both preached the need to be each other, brother’s keeper. He also used the opportunity to highlight the virtues of “Knighthood” in Christendom.

He also elaborated on the close knitted relationship the church shares with Nigerians from its inception and enjoined members to always seek the interest of one another. He further described Sir Christopher Ahonkhai as one member who had always presented himself for service and development of the church.

In response, Sir Christopher Ahonkhai, expressed his gratitude to the congregation and thanked them for accepting him as part of their family, and promised to uphold the values of his Knighthood in the service of humanity.

Thereafter, light refreshment was served to entertain guests, friends, and members of the congregation to mark the day in honour of Sir Christopher Ahonkhai.