Hushpuppi: Police Commission inaugurates panel, awaits report on Abba Kyari

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has set up an in-house panel to study in detail the available documents related to the suspended former Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari who was indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Kyari was indicted by the FBI in a $1.1 million Internet scam allegedly carried out by an Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi and four others.

The PSC had earlier suspended Kyari with effect from July 31 based on the IGP’s recommendation and the action is pending the outcome of the police investigation.

PSC, in a statement by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, on Thursday informed that the panel is headed by the Director, Department of Police Discipline in the Commission, Tijani Mohammed, a lawyer.

The statement explained that the panel was “to gather and document relevant information on DCP Abba Kyari in view of his disciplinary matter and to analyze the information gathered and make appropriate recommendation/s to the commission”.

The panel, which has been inaugurated by the Permanent Secretary/ Secretary to the Commission, Alhaji Abubakar Ismaila, has started work while the commission awaits the report of the DIG Joseph Egbunike investigative panel on the matter.

The report of the in-house panel is expected to assist the Commission in making an informed decision when the police investigative panel report is submitted for the Commission’s consideration.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali had set up the police investigative panel headed by Egbunike to look into the matter.