How Abba Kyari Instructed Me To Pay Proceed From Properties Owned By A Kidnapping Suspect Into My Private Account — Police Lawyer

Nosa Watson Uhumwangho, a police lawyer attached to the Inspector General of police Intelligent Response Unit (IRT), on Wednesday told the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that he paid proceeds from suspect’s properties into his personal bank account on the instruction of embattled DSP Abba Kyari.

 

The sum of N3,075,300, which was generated from De-Inglish Hotel, Enugu and another property at No. 21 Edinburgh Street, Enugu owned by late Collins Ezenwa (also known as E—Money), an alleged kidnapper was paid into the personal account of the police lawyer

 

The money was paid into his Zenith Bank account number 2001615225.

 

Recall that DSP Abba Kyari, who is currently suspended from the Nigerian Police Force, is under investigation following an indictment by US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over his alleged involvement in the over a million dollars international fraud with a notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi.

 

In a 131 paragraph affidavit deposed to on 30 June 2021 and submitted to the NBA’s Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) obtained by our Reporter, Mr. Uhumwangho said the police authorities authorized him to pay the money into his personal account for “reasons best known to them”. The cop lawyer also stated in the Affidavit that Abba Kyari’s team had previously instructed Tochukwu Okeke, a notorious cultist currently being detained at the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu over his alleged sponsorship of the unknown gunmen in the South East to collect rents from properties owned by late Collins Ezenwa on his behalf.

 

 

 

Tochukwu, who refused to appear before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Panel investigating the activities of SARS had claimed that he paid $2 million ransom to late Ezenwa’s gang after he was kidnapped in 2016.

 

Mr. Uhumwangho was drag to the NBA Disciplinary Committee by a lawyer and human rights activist Justus Uche Ijeoma for “conduct unbecoming of a legal practitioner”. In his petition to the NBA-LDPC, Barrister Ijeoma has alleged that Mr. Nosa Uhumagho, acting in cahoots with other police officers attached to the Inspector General of Police –Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) criminally converted the properties of his client.

 

Mr. Uhumagho under cross examination by Ijeoma’s lead counsel, Max Ogar, Esq. admitted causing the money to be paid into his personal account based on the directive of his boss, DCP Abba Kyari.

 

In a letter dated 28 January 2019 obtained by our Reporters, Abba Kyari wrote: “ Sequel to the directive of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (Presidential Panel on SARS Reform), which sat on 25th January 2019… you are thereby directed/ordered to recover any money therefrom and take possession…”. Sources from the NHRC panel, which sat between the 14th and 26th, January 2019 however denied authorizing Kyari to collect any money on late Ezenwa’s property and pay into a private account.

 

Meanwhile, in 2018, Amnesty International and National Human Rights Commission accused Mr. Kyari of illegally depleting assets of Collins Ezenwa who was illegally executed by SARS in Owerri, Imo state. Collins Ezenwa’s wife told the NHRC panel that Mr. Kyari and his team withdrew money from her late husband’s bank account; seized his cars for their private use and pocketed millions in accommodation proceeds from his hotels and properties.

 

Mr. Kyari has always denied widespread allegation of corruption amongst him and his team.