Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has denied visiting the embattled deputy police commissioner Abba Kyari, who was indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for an alleged role in a $1.1m fraud allegedly committed by money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, and four others.
Mr Zulum was forced to deny visiting the policeman after a video of him and his predecessor Senator Kashim Shettima exchanging pleasantries with Kyari at a private residence went viral on Wednesday.
In a disclaimer issued on Facebook by his aide Isa Gusau, the governor also said he had never visited the suspended former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, who is an indigene of Borno State.
The statement, however, noted that Zulum and Kyari had separately visited Shettima to wish him a quick recovery on June 30, 2021.
“Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum and his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, do not know the residence of embattled DCP Abba Kyari, let alone visit him, Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau has clarified,” the disclaimer read.
“Gusau said he resorted to issuing the clarification since Abba Kyari who promised issuing the clarification himself did not do so, more than four hours after making the promise to the spokesman.
“Gusau said a video in circulation was recorded by some associates of Abba Kyari at the residence of Senator Kashim Shettima in Abuja on June 30, 2021, when Abba Kyari paid an empathy visit to Shettima following (the) mischievous circulation of rumours that the Senator had died in the UK.
“Kyari himself had shared the same video on his verified Facebook wall on June 30, shortly after he visited Shettima.
“Kyari, who hails from Borno State and in Shettima’s constituency, visited the former Governor to wish him well like many others had visited the Senator during the time.
“Gusau released a video of some sympathizers who had also visited the Senator the same period, which showed the senator receiving them in his house, the same place being described as Abba Kyari’s house.
“Gusau also pointed observers to take note of the TV behind Zulum and Abba Kyari with a CNN breaking news on the release of American Comedian actor, Bill Cosby, which, as can be verified by anyone online, happened on June 30, 2021.”