*As NDLEA insists he’s ‘flight risk’
By Adaku Okafor
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, declined to admit former head of the IGP Tactical Squad, DCP Abba Kyari, to bail.
Justice Emeka Nwite, while delivering a ruling on an application by Kyaro, held that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had placed sufficient evidence before the court to refuse the bail. –
Justice Nwite equally rejected bail plea of Kyari’s co-defendants.
The NDLEA in its counter affidavit, held that it was inappropriate to grant bail to the applicant because of the facts and circumstances of the case.
The anti-narcotic agency described Kyari as “a flight risk”, insisting that Kyari is likely to jump bail and would never return to the country to face trial.
It argued that if granted bail, the suspended DCP might jump bail.
The agency, which equally said Kyari might interfere with the evidence if granted bail, urged the court to dismiss his bail application.
It argued that the medical challenges of the applicant was not beyond the capacity of the agency’s medical personnel.
The judge, in the ruling, aligned with NDLEA’s arguments and dismissed the request.
The suspended police officer is currently facing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged involvement in 25kg of cocaine, while on suspension by the Police authorities last year.
The other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, are four members of the IRT, Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu.
Two other suspects arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, were also listed as defendants.
Kyari, has been indicted in the United States for alleged involvement in a $1.1m scam carried out by a notorious Internet scammer, Ramon Abass, a.ka. Hushpuppi, which led to an extradition request for him to answer to charges on the issue in the US.
When the matter came up earlier in the month, the trial judge, Nwite, had deferred ruling on the bail applications, prompting Kyari to slump.
A lot of top Nigerians had slumped of feigned slumping in the court rooms to foist their wishes on the court or to cury public sympathy.
In February, Kyari’s application for bail had been denied by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on the ground that the substance of his application had been overtaken by events.
