The United States has requested for pre-trial detention of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, claiming Kyari was a big flight risk; according to papers filed at the district court of California. The court papers filed April 29, 2021 were signed by Acting US Attorney, Tracy Wilkinson and two other officials. It read: “Plaintiff, United States of America, by and through its court of records hereby requests detention of defendant (Abba Kyari) and gives notice of the following factors: “Pre-trial detention requested (S 3142(e)) because no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure that: “a. The appearance of the defendant as required; “b. Safety of any other person and the community”.
The US Justice Department declined to comment on potential extradition requests based on the provisions of the December 22, 1931 Extradition Treaty and the Extradition Modification Order, 2014, Extradition Act Proceedings) Rules, 2015; to get Kyari to face trial in the United States. In a statement on the case, acting US attorney Tracy Wilkinson said the United States aims to crack down on “business email compromise” or BEC – the type of scam favored by Abbas’s gang. American businesses lost $1.8 billion from such scams in 2020, according to FBI data.
It appears there is no limit to the odium Nigerians would endure in the hands of Nigerian police, because just when the police seem to have hit rock bottom following their harassment, intimidation, extortion and even killing of innocent citizens; which triggered the nationwide #EndSARS protesters, the police somehow manage to find a further depth in ignominy. The following excerpts of the indictment are very instructive. “A month later, on February 19, 2020, Kyari alleged sent a message to Abbas, saying, “Hello hush with [sic] need to talk about the subject under detention with me.” “Abbas asked, “Should I call u on this number sir?” to which Kyari replied “Yes call me.” “The following day, Kyari sent Abbas multiple photographs of Chibuzo to Abbas, including close-up photographs showing a rash or skin disease on Chibuzo’s torso and arms.
“Abbas responded, ‘I don pity am, make them leave am from Tuesday.’ Kyari wrote, ‘Ok bro, they just brought him from the hospital. The fever and the rashes are giving him serious wahala. He got the disease from other suspects in the cell. “Abbas responded, ‘I see am, I no too pity am. That’s what people like him deserve, but I go forgive am for God sake.’ “Abbas then said, ‘No problem sir from Tuesday he can go,” apparently giving Kyari his blessing to release Chibuzo from custody. “Kyari responded, ‘Ok bro. We will also keep his phone and other gadgets for some weeks.’ Abbas responded, “Yes those ones they should not give him again, those ones are gone… Make he no see those ones again for life.’ Kyari responded, ‘Yes he will not see it again,” indicating he would accede to Abbas’ request.”
The brazenness, callousness and audacity of these text messages are simply bizarre, desultory and even comical. The spectacle of Kyari taking instructions from a notorious fraudster exposes in dramatic fashion the culture and character of police officers and reinforced Nigeria’s image as a nation with highly dysfunctional institutions where bizarre things can happen. In the event, Kyari and the morons in the Nigerian police force who plumb the abyss of self-gratification are doing a great disservice to the Nigerian people. The text messages were amateurish, senseless, unimaginable, disgraceful, vicious, sadistic and the nadir of gracelessness. By this singular act of civic callousness, dancing in mockery even as Chibuzo languished in jail with skin rashes, Kyari advertised a certain hollowness in morality that challenged sundry observers to question his character. This is nothing short of a desecration of the police, and a smear on an institution to which much has been given; and from whom much is expected.
Certainly, no modicum of morality or decorum supports this reckless display of impunity, but some pertinent points need to be made. One is that the quality of leadership in Nigeria has been exposed, in spectacular fashion, to the whole world. So Nigerians should weep, not for Kyari; but for the broken system that produced him and others like him. Nigerian should weep for the nation that has failed to reform a police that produced a certain DSP George Iyamu, convicted for supplying guns to armed robbery gang of Lawrence Anini that terrorized Nigeria in the late 1980s. Anini “the Law” it should be recalled, was caught on December 3, 1986, at No 26, Oyemwosa Street, opposite Iguodala Primary School, Benin City, carousing with scarlet ladies of variegated shapes and sizes.
As it turned out, the main sources of Anini’s famed invincibility and mystical powers were criminal elements within the police that he compromised to aid and abet his evil enterprise with police intelligence and weapons. Iyamu became incredibly rich by shielding Anini and his boys, leaking police secrets, and giving them logistical support, including arms, for their operations. By playing godfather to Anini, Iyamu acquired many houses, exotic cars and mistresses. The blood money Anini amassed enabled him to compromise the police and operate freely till he met his Waterloo. Ten officers, including Iyamu, were tried with Anini and his gang of scoundrels. Five policemen, including Iyamu, were convicted and executed with Anini and his accomplices on March 29, 1987.
But that did not stop the police from carrying out the extra-judicial killings that shook Abuja; in what became known as the Apo six affair. DCP, Ibrahim Danjuma, allegedly ordered the gruesome murder of five automobile spare-parts dealers and a woman on the night of June 7, 2005. Danjuma and four other officers were tried for the killing. The police initially said the victims were armed robbers but a panel set up by then President Olusegun Obasanjo recommended Danjuma and his men for trial. The five officers and eight witnesses testified before the panel that Danjuma, the most senior of the accused officers, allegedly ordered the killings. Twelve years later, two of the officers were convicted and sentenced to death, but the FCT High Court presiding judge, Ishaq Bello, said there was no evidence to convict Danjuma and two others.
Citing the FCT court judgment that found him not culpable, the Police Service Commission in November, 2017, ordered that Danjuma be reinstated. Danjuma’s rank was restored, his salary arrears from June 2005, were also paid and he was sent abroad on a refresher course. In December 2018, Danjuma was promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to Commissioner of Police (CP); and a few days after; then IGP, Ibrahim Idris presided at the installation of Danjuma as Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). The IGP should never have lent his weight to such a melodrama that would readily serve as an apostle of such an infamy. The March 9, judgment by the FCT High Court on the matter can be appealed but it is only the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who can either appeal the ruling or issue an “extended fiat” to another lawyer to appeal the verdict. Till date, Malami has not appealed the ruling.
Besides, have we forgotten the gory tales that precipitated the #EndSARS protests? How many police officers have been punished from the sordid revelations and police abuse by #EndSARS victims? Are the police not back on the beats all over the country, harassing and extorting helpless and hapless Nigerians on the road under the guise of checking vehicle documents? The need for occupational restructuring of the police from a force to a service should be addressed seriously, to free the institution from being used merely as a social engineering device to serve the politicians, as well as the rich and privileged in society. The police should be people-oriented in line with modern concept of policing in civilized climes. It should expunge itself of the ego-bloating idea that it is not part of the people, and forge fruitful community relations’ initiative that would make security of lives and property its primary purpose.
To this end, proper attention should be given to the recruitment procedure, whereby qualified candidates with sound moral consciousness and public spiritedness are recruited; and staff records augmented by reliable database. This is necessary to guard against situations where police personnel dismissed from one state rush to other states to be hired. Apart from the routine training at the Police College, the police rank and file should be made, as a matter of duty, to undertake highly effective training periodically. This will enable them internalize the tenets of civility, the necessity for servant-leadership in the police, the importance of creating the right public image for positive effect, and how communication can elicit public confidence in the Police.
The rot and untold decay of infrastructure at the Police College, Ikeja in Lagos State, tells a distasteful story about the country’s foremost training center for its law enforcement officers; as an environment not even fit for reforming law breakers, let alone grooming law enforcers. The rot leaves no room for further explanation of the poor psyche and unprofessional attitude of the average policeman in the country. It would be unrealistic to expect anything less than a brutal mentality of police officers trained in that kind of environment. Rational behavior is most unlikely from men trained under dehumanizing and degrading conditions. A sick police force can only be produced by a sick training institution.
To give the facade of a civilized nation, it is fashionable for the country to adopt laws which make other nations function and rise above medieval values, norms and precepts. However, laws designed to produce certain consequences, time-tested to ensure good governance, good behavior, and the creation of a just, peaceful and orderly society, seem to work the opposite in Nigeria. Nigeria’s public officials, including the police, should regard the powers given to them by the constitution as sacrosanct and for that reason show utmost sense of responsibility in the way they are deployed. They should resist the temptation to sacrifice common good for self-preservation or personal good or objective. Intense individualism should give way to statesmanship and public good. In all of these, traumatized Nigerians are the ultimate losers. Their craving for a nation where peace and justice reign has become a mirage.
The actions of Kyari are an affront to the nation and leaders at all levels must hide their heads in shame. Without equivocation, the absence of stately comportment by persons who, by authority and common trust are saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding lives and property and preserving law and order has rendered the country a fertile ground for breeding the improbable. Kyari is a real eyesore and a bad advertisement of the Nigerian police, nay, the Nigerian state. This is a tragedy Nigeria can do without!
