Abba Kyari Finally Opens Up, Makes Serious Allegation Against NDLEA

Abba Kyari Finally Opens Up, Makes Serious Allegation Against NDLEA

  • Abba Kyari has given his account of what led to his arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
  • The NDLEA had said the suspended deputy commissioner of police was involved in drug dealings and tried to bribe one of its officials
  • Kyari, however, said he was framed for demanding a reward for an informant who helped in the arrest of a suspected drug dealer

FCT, Abuja - Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police, says corrupt operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) framed him up for demanding a reward for a whistleblower who aided the the police Intelligence Response Team in the arrest of a suspect.

Kyari who is standing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja over his alleged involvement in a cocaine deal, accused the NDLEA operatives of providing cover for drug cartels to ferry in cocaine into Nigeria, Premium Times reported.

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Alleged Drug Deal: Abba Kyari Says NDLEA Operatives Framed Him
Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari (middle) appeared at the Federal High Court, Abuja over offences of illegal cocaine dealing on March 7, 2022. Photo credit: Kola Sulaimon/AFP
Source: Getty Images

The suspended senior police officer who used to head the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has been in the eye of the storm after he was first fingered in a multi-million-dollars Internet fraud case by the US government.

Amid the US government's request to extradite Kyari, the NDLEA accused him of being involved in drug dealings, alongside other police officers.

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The agency subsequently released a video of the DCP allegedly attempting to bribe one of its officials.

On Monday, March 7, Kyari and four other police officers were arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges relating to illicit cocaine dealing.

Chibuna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are non-police officers, admitted their guilt in the unlawful importation of 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine.

However, Kyari and the four other police officers pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge.

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Abba Kyari: Drama as 'super cop' refuses to answer query by Force Headquarters

Kyari sues NDLEA

Meanwhile, amid his arrest and eventual arraignment, the suspended cop sued the anti-narcotics agency for violating his fundamental human rights.

He demanded N500 million compensation for the breach of his rights to freedom of movement, among others.

In a court document deposed to by one Muhammad Nur Usman who identified himself as Kyari’s younger brother, he told the court that NDLEA officials usually cleared a drug baron “and even escort him from the airport to his destination."

Giving further details that led to his travails at the hands the NDLEA, Kyari said on that fateful day, the suspect as usual shipped drugs (cocaine) from Ethiopia to Enugu Airport.

"The officer of NDLEA cleared him within the airport, then officer of FIB-IRT arrested the suspect with the help of an information.
“That before the informant accepted to work with the officers of FIB-IRT, they both had an agreement to compensate the informant.

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“That officers of FIB-IRT, having noticed that officers of NDLEA were the ones clearing the said suspect with his drugs (cocaine), they immediately took the suspect to NDLEA and also reported those officers involved in the act.
“That instead of the NDLEA to handle the matter accordingly and bring their officers involved to book, they decided to frustrate the informant, thereby refusing to compensate the informant.
“That it was at this juncture that the attention of the DCP Abba Kyari was called, who because the NDLEA officer involved is his friend, decided to intervene for the purpose of compensating the informant.
“That the NDLEA officer who refused to compensate the informant was the one who framed DCP Abba Kyari up on a trumped-up allegation that he was trying to bribe him.
“That the agent of the respondent declared the applicant wanted because of a mere allegation that he was trying to bribe an NDLEA officer without sufficient proof.

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“That the Nigerian Police Force, based on the allegation of the respondent, arrested the applicant on February 12, 2022, and handed over to the NDLEA.”

Kyari's suit asking for his freedom from the NDLEA is ongoing alongside his cocaine trial.

Abba Kyari: Drama as super cop refuses to answer query by Force Headquarters

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Kyari who is remanded in the custody of the NDLEA over his involvement in a 25kg illicit drug deal refused to officially respond to the query issued him by Force Headquarters.

It was gathered that the embattled detective was handed the query while in NDLEA’s custody, close to a month ago.

Rather than answer the query, sources disclosed that Kyari said he could not write from where he was.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nurudeen Lawal avatar

Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature-in-English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2347057737768.