Founder of popular Abuja-based human rights radio, ‘Ordinary’ Ahmed Isa, says Abba Kyari, the police officer fingered in the multimillion-dollar Internet fraud with Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, has done a lot of good to be prosecuted for fraud.
Last week, it was reported how Hushpuppi bribed Mr Kyari in a multimillion-dollar fraud and how the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has ordered the arrest and detention of Mr Kyari.
Speaking on his popular breakfast radio/television show on 101.1 FM in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Ahmed said Mr Kyari has done too much good for the country to go down, and that the U.S. should not dictate to Nigeria how to run its affairs.
Mr Ahmed was recently exposed in a BBC investigation assaulting an interviewee and was suspended off air by the National Broadcasting Commission for his unprofessional conduct.
“This thing wey Abba Kyari enter, many police officers dey celebrate, ineffective police officers. They are celebrating, they are quick to celebrate but let me tell you. Whether you care to listen or not, Abba Kyari is not going down by the grace of God. He has done too much good to go down because of one mistake, even if it is true,” Mr Ahmed said.
“America cannot tell us how to live our lives, America is not heaven. Is America better than Africa if not for bad leadership? What do they have that we do not have?”, he asked.
Mr Ahmed said he was in solidarity with Mr Kyari and hoped that God would vindicate him. “We stand behind Abba Kyari, and God will vindicate him. One day this young man will become IGP. They are just envious of him because of his extraordinary performance; they can not do half of what he is doing. He is too intelligent for their liking. He is a civil police officer. He is not pompous.”
“Yes, there is an allegation on him, no matter how bad, it is the name you give your dog that neighbours would call it. How many of Abba Kyari do we have in the Nigeria police? For you to hold that type of office, temptation abounds,” he added.
Contrary to Mr Ahmed’s view, Nigerian activists have called for further probe into the FBI indictment of Mr Kyari, giving its negative impact on the image of the Nigerian police force and the entire country on the international scene.
Amidst criticisms, the Nigerian police on Saturday announced the suspension of Mr Kyari from the police service while assuring Nigerians of further probe into Mr Kyari’s involvement in the multimillion-dollar fraud with Hushpuppi.