A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Abba Kyari, the former commander of the Force Intelligence Response Team, DCP, a two-week bail after 27 months in detention.
This allows Kyari to conclude his mother, Yachilla Kyari’s burial rites. The court set Friday, May 31, for the determination of his bail application in the trial over drug-related charges filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following his arrest on February 14, 2022.
Recall that Yachilla Kyari passed away on May 5, 2024, and was survived by 10 children, including Abba, the eldest son.
Although Abba Kyari was unable to attend his mother’s burial, residents of Borno State turned out in large numbers to pay their respects to Yachilla, who was buried according to Islamic rites the same day.
In 2022, the Police Service Commission suspended Kyari and two senior police officers, Sunday Ubua and James Bawa, named in a cocaine deal involving the suspended deputy commissioner of police.
As stated by the PSC, “The Police Service Commission has suspended Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Sunday Ubua and Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP James Bawa from the exercise of the powers and functions of their respective Offices with effect from Monday, 14th February 2022.”
The NDLEA had also declared Kyari wanted over alleged links with an international drug cartel.
Femi Babalola, spokesperson for the NDLEA, alleged that Kyari and his Intelligence Response Team arrested some drug traffickers who arrived in the country from Ethiopia with 25kg of cocaine but took 15kg of the seized substance for themselves.
The NDLEA alleged that Kyari and his men “unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that they seized from the two convicted drug traffickers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane- even as it also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.”
According to the NDLEA, the police officers committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The court had earlier denied the defendants bail and ordered their remand at Kuje prison.
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