A foremost Human Rights and Constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome has shed light on the embattled DCP Abba Kyari who was indicted by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a fraud case against cybercrime fraudster, Ramon Abbas, alias Hushpuppi the United States.
He said Nigeria is a sovereign nation and the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, cannot just come to Nigeria to arrest a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who is a citizen of Nigeria without going through the constituational process.
The US Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California has called for the arrestdetermine the culpability of Kyari.
But Kyari had since denied the allegations but admitted acting as a go-between for the internet fraudster and a local tailor in which Hushpuppi purportedly made payments.
While speaking on Arise Television, Ozekhome insisted that extradition process is a must for Kyari to be handed over to the US for prosecution in their jurisdictions.
He said: “When America demanded Abba Kyari, I heard people say the FBI can now arrest Abba Kyari. No, you can’t do that.
“Nigeria is a sovereign country, for crying out loud, no matter how down in the doldrums we’ve become.
“The FBI can’t simply come here and pick up Abba Kyari. You must go through the extradition process as established in the Extradition Act of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004. You’ve to look at Sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the extradition act.”
He added, “Going through extradition, the Attorney General of the country has a crucial role to play under the Extradition Act, he and a magistrate, or under Section 251 of the constitution, a judge of a federal high court.
“The country requesting for extradition, like the US, must make a formal request through its consular or representative in Nigeria that we want this man in our country.”
