It is reported that a couple of these ministers who served in President Buhari’s first stint never saw eye to eye with Kyari, and a number of these people had a series of running battles with him,now, is it these same Ministers that the late Kyari would ask for bribes? Playing devil’s advocate, let me imagine that it was only a select number of persons that paid such bribes, is it possible that in an environment so hostile as the presidency word would not have gotten to President Buhari? Besides, a look at the peddler of such an ostentatious story, a Farooq Kperoogi who has striven countlessly to misinform like he did when he stated that Sambo Dasuki, ex NSA held for diverting $2.1 billion arms funds had died in the custody of the DSS only for the same Dasuki to resurrect from the death cell to his house a free man following the decision of the Buhari administration to release him. Till date Kperoogi, who appears to many as a narcissist has failed to apologise to Nigerians whom he misled and the Buhari administration which he wrongfully accused for murder; should we then give righteous heed to an accusation so spurious from a person we all know harbours much ill will against the present administration?
Let’s examine his alleged role in the MTN fine issue. Kyari was accused of taking a bribe of N500 mn to help MTN reduce the $5.2 BN fine to $1.7bn over the telecom giant’s failure to ensure that it’s cards were registered before it’s customers used them.
Now, should we apply logic here and not a carte blanche attempt to cast every serving Nigerian as a thief. I find it absurd that the former COS in all his power would have demanded a chicken feed sum of 500 million Naira to help reduce a debt from the initial amount of $5.2bn to the eventual $1.7bn. it is not in doubt that corrupt Nigerian officials know how to pull hard and fast deals, were Abba Kyari one, he would have gone for a much better deal. Again, his traducers like modern day Pharisees point to the very fact that the fine was reduced, and it could be only the mighty Kyari’s doing, that is after he had allegedly taken the N500 mn bribe. So what happens to diplomatic measures taken by the South African Government to protect MTN? What about the court case instigated against the Federal Government and the offer to negotiate out of court? These will obviously remain oblivious to his traducers, who much prefer a flat and stale commentary of Kyari taking N500mn and that was the magic! Recently, in 2014 and 2017 Google reached out of court settlements with the European Union and Russia, paying a reduced fine to these respective bodies, perhaps Kyari’s hand was also in these deals and he took the flat rate of N500mn? Next please!