Drug trafficking trial: My life in danger in prison, Abba Kyari tells court

By Andrew Orolua, & Ukpono Ukpong

The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, currently facing drug trafficking charges and whose bail has been refused by the courts, on Thursday, returned to the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja begging to be released on bail and alleging threat to his life.

Kyari, through his team of lawyers, led by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, told the court that he is feeling unsafe at the Kuje Correctional Centre, where he said he was being remanded with hardened criminals.

Ikpeazu said the fresh application for the court to reconsider the request his client earlier made for bail pending the determination of the charge against him, became necessary, considering the nature of assignments he undertook while performing his duties as a police officer, DailyTimes gathered.

According to the defence lawyer, some of the inmates on remand at the Kuje Correctional Center, were people that Kyari’s team at the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, arrested.

Aside from DCP Kyari, three other police officers that are equally on trial over the alleged offence- ACP Sunday J. Ubia, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu- also begged the court to okay their release on bail on safety ground.

READ ALSO: Stella Oduah absconded from NYSC scheme, lied that she…

However, the 3rd defendant in the matter, Bawa James, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, did not join them in the application.

Meanwhile, counsel for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr. Sunday Joseph, urged the court to refuse the bail request by the defendants.

The prosecution counsel maintained that the matter was originally slated for the review of facts of the case relating to two self-confessed drug traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane, who were linked to the suspended DCP, Kyari.

Both Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who were cited as 6th and 7th Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country.

They had on March 7, when they were arraigned alongside Kyari, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge.

Kyari, who pleaded innocence to the charge against him, had contended that reviewing facts of the case or sentencing Umeibe and Ezenwanne, while his trial is still ongoing, would be prejudicial to him.

He further drew attention of the court to the fact that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved him and the other accused police officers.

The court had in a ruling it delivered on April 28, dismissed Kyari’s objections and held that it would go ahead to review facts of the case against Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

Nevertheless, at the resumed proceedings on the matter on Thursday, Kyari and his police co-defendants, said they have gone to the Court of Appeal to challenge the ruling.

They further filed a motion for the court to temporarily halt the trial to await the outcome of the appeal, an application that was opposed by the prosecution which accused the defendants of attempting to stay proceeding in a criminal matter.

Meantime, trial Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case till June 14 to hear the defendants’ fresh application for bail.

The NDLEA had alleged that Kyari and his men, unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that they seized from the two apprehended drug traffickers, even as it also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.

It alleged that 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.

Besides, Kyari, was said to have attempted to bribe a senior officer of the NDLEA with $61, 400. 00 at a restaurant in Abuja to prevent the testing of part of the cocaine that was seized from the two arrested drug pushers.

On the other hand, the agency, alleged that Umeibe and Ezenwanne, conspired with one IK that is currently at large, to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country without lawful authority and knowingly possessed same, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The court earlier denied the defendants bail on the premise that they not only posed “flight risk”, but also have “tremendous influence in the Nigeria Police” and the capacity to interfere with the prosecution witnesses.

While Kyari and his men were remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Umeibe and Ezenwanne were remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has said that the former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, was safe in custody as there was no threat to his life.

The Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr. Francis Enobore, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Enobore said that it was necessary to address the issue following a publication by an online media organisation alleging Kyari was attacked by his fellow inmates.

According to him, the fake news peddler further stated that the authorities of the Service was considering transferring Kyari to DSS custody.

He said “the story is false, reckless and mischievous”.

“It is the handiwork of some jobless cheap recognition-seeking charlatans masquerading as newsmen, lacking in intellectual capacity to interrogate what they conjure or hear before feeding the public.

“That the author is completely oblivious of where and how detention of a suspect originates speaks volume of his ineptitude and the much his story can be relied upon.

“For the record, Abba Kyari is one of the over 800 inmates in the location where he is being kept.

“However, notable individuals including Ex-Governors, Ministers, Senators and other celebrities of higher social status have passed through the same facility without any threat to their lives,” he said.

Enobore said that the authorities of the NCoS does not and had no course to request for the transfer of Abba Kyari or indeed, any inmate to any other detention centre outside its jurisdiction.

He emphasised that Kyari was safe and sound and goes about his daily routine like any other inmate unharmed.

“Those playing pranks with his detention are warned to desist from such unpatriotic acts as they may be asked, through formal litigation, to justify their statement.

“The Controller-General, NCoS, Haliru Nababa, is determined to continue to upscale inmates’ welfare, safe and humane custody with fervour.

“Therefore, he will not be distracted by inane publications,” Enobore said.