Hush Pupp and there goes a Super Cop -By Tope Oke

A few years back, I had an altercation with a cop which eventually ended up with us becoming acquaintances. Through him, I found out that he owned quite a sizable property portfolio, one of which was a hotel in a decent part of Lagos adorned with some luxurious vehicles he put on the market. I had observed he was quite popular within his constituency and was a favorite of his boss, the Area Commander but I was naturally shocked as to how a Superintendent of Police was able to amass such properties. This was many years ago and I have seen enough not to be entirely shocked by the story surrounding the Police’s super cop Abba Kyari. To many, he is seen as a good cop – one who has trailblazed in his career to become the poster boy for the Police but they forget he is still part of arguably the most corrupt institution in the country. For a man who was commissioned an officer about twenty years ago, his rise though the ranks to be seen as being primed for the top cop job has been nothing short of remarkable and that is why many – especially those who have had reason to engage him first hand have expressed dismay and disbelief.

Criminals having cops on their payroll isn’t peculiar to this part of the world. Prominent but not peculiar. It literally happens everywhere but more so in the third world countries where it appears there is a clear pattern by the executive to tie the police to their apron strings by intentionally underfunding them and neglecting their welfare. Nigeria does have its peculiarities though, hence labelled as the worst police force globally and not a few Nigerians would agree. However, Abba Kyari seemed above board initially. He and his team were praised for curbing violent crimes and kidnappings across the country but as their legend grew, so did reports of their abuses. While he has received numerous accolades and awards, there has also been many allegations, particularly one by the Amnesty International in 2018 which accused him of murdering a suspect by the name Collins Ezenwa and proceeding to annex his assets. A BBC documentary a couple of years ago adequately captured the victories and vices of the squad and in it one could see the grit, passion and determination of the officer to rid the country of criminals by any means possible.

If there was any doubt about the veracity of allegations labelled against him before, the evidence brought against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation was detailed and damning. It was so revealing that Mr Kyari was suspended and removed from office within days. Worse still, the rebuttal he offered of being a middleman between Hushpuppi and a tailor was only bettered in silliness by the often show of extravagance by his albatross who couldn’t explain the source of such wealth. That he grotesquely admitted to being first, a fashion agent then a debt collector was emphatically preposterous and ridiculing for someone who led an intelligence response squad. The huge confusion in his often edited then finally deleted denial on social media piercingly pictured a man who had never been held accountable before.

As the case continues to unfold, one thing is certain though; he will not be extradited. Not because it is Nigeria, but because it is extremely rare for any country to give up a law enforcement officer to face the law in another country. Moreover, considering the patronage system that exists in the police force, it is highly unlikely that others, especially more senior officers are oblivious of Mr Kyari’s excesses and so extradition will only serve to complicate matters. The case further amplifies what is already known to many Nigerians – the sordid corruption in the institution. What remains to be seen is whether the police hierarchy will take any learning points from this especially in calling their men to order and ridding the force of this patronage system where ‘returns’ are made vertically. Pertinently, the quiet investigation and evidential process deployed by the FBI is what is reasonable and acceptable globally not the incessant archaic media trials the Nigeria police is still stuck in. Investigations and the establishment of evidence precedes arrest not the other way round.

Many have hailed the appointment of the former Lagos RRS Commander, Tunji Disu as fitting and for the purpose. He is another celebrity cop who like his predecessor is a Deputy Commissioner. One can only hope he doesn’t get caught up in the corrupt web prevalent in the force and champions the cause to reinvent his unit to serve with a human face as he did in Lagos.

Tope Oke is a businessman and public affairs analyst.

Twitter:@teepenn44