Abba Kyari: More troubles as NDLEA goes after super cop

Juliana Francis

More troubles have cornered the suspended Commander of the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT), a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

News broke today that another scandal surrounding Kyari had reared its head. This time around, the complainants were no longer the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), but the National Drug Law Enforcement (NDLEA).

The NDLEA has accused Kyari, the once poster child of the Nigeria Police Force of links with drug cartels.

According to the NDLEA, following this discovery, invitation letters were sent to him by the Agency, but he allegedly refused to honour them.

This forced the Agency to declare him wanted. The declaration caused a social media buzz with many expressing doubts over the story.

Many couldn’t believe it because Kyari was still on suspension following his being indicted by the FBI in a fraud case and his involvement with Ramon Abbas otherwise known as Hushpuppi in money laundry.

While Nigerians were still attempting to grasps the facts of the NDLEA case against Kyari and came to terms with the reality that another scandal was tarnishing the once illustrious career of Kyari, news filtered in that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba, had ordered his arrest and subsequent hand over to NDLEA.

In a press statement, the Deputy Force Spokesman, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that the IGP had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to NDLEA, with a charge to the Agency to also investigate indicted NDLEA officers.

Adejobi said: “The Nigeria Police Force has arrested DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a perpetual transnational drug cartel. The arrest of the officers was sequel to information received from the leadership of the NDLEA on 10th February, 2022. In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the IGP ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations. The interim investigations report revealed that two international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on the 19th of January, 2022 upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917. The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers. The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

“Although the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on the 25th January, 2022, the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the IGP established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings as well as official corruption which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.”

According to Adejobi, beyond this, the police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case had strong ties with some officers of the NDLEA at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu who are on their pay roll. “The two arrested drug couriers confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification, seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked.  The two arrested drug couriers also confirmed that they had been enjoying this relationship with the NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since 2021 and had in this instant case of 19th January, 2022, been identified and cleared by the NDLEA officers as customary, having received their pre-departure photographs and other details prior to their arrival in Enugu, and were on their way out with the narcotics when they were apprehended by the Police,” said Adejobi.

The explained: “The Police investigations report also indicted Kyari, who had been on suspension for his alleged involvement in a different fraud case being investigated by the FBI, for complicity in the allegation of official corruption, tampering with narcotics exhibit and sundry unprofessional conducts that negate the standard administrative and investigative protocols of the Force as well as extant criminal laws. It is to be emphasised that Kyari’s involvement in these allegation occurred while his suspension from service was subsisting. On the strength of the findings of the in-house Police Investigation Panel, the IGP has ordered the immediate arrest and transfer of all the indicted police officers to the NDLEA authorities for conclusive investigation, while appropriate disciplinary actions are also being initiated against them by the Force leadership. The concerned officers include Kyari, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sunday Ubuah, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawa James, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Umoru (at large), Inspector Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu. They have all been, accordingly, handed over today 14th February, 2022 to the NDLEA authorities.  In so doing, IGP has also formally requested that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA should ensure the identification, arrest and investigation of the Agency’s officers who have also been found to be colluding with the international drug cartel involved in this case towards advancing the anti-narcotics agenda of the federal Government. IGP assures the public of his administration’s commitment to upholding the tenets and values of policing in line with the agenda of ethical regeneration, restoration of professional standard, enhancement of the anti-corruption drive, respect for the rule of law and inter-agency collaboration in the drive to stabilise the internal security order of the country.”