Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted former commander of Force Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari two weeks bail after 27 months in detention. The two weeks bail is to allow the cop the opportunity to go home and conclude his mother’s burial rites.
The court subsequently set Friday, May 31 for determination of his bail application in trial over drug-related charges filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) following his arrest over two years ago on February 14, 2022.
Recall that in 2022, the Police Service Commission (PSC) suspended Kyari and two senior police officers — Sunday Ubua and James Bawa — named in the cocaine deal involving suspended deputy commissioner of police.
“The Police Service Commission had 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 PSC said in a statement.
The NDLEA had also declared Kyari wanted over alleged links with an international drug cartel. Femi Babalola, spokesperson of the NDLEA, alleged that Kyari and his Intelligence Response Team (IRT) 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 police arrested Kyari, Ubua, Bawa, and John Nuhu for “tampering with narcotic exhibits and unprofessional infractions” and handed them to the anti-drug agency. The spokesperson of the PSC said the commission asked Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, to suspend two police inspectors — Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu.
