ABUJA, Nigeria — Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari has been released from the Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory after spending 27 months in detention.
Kyari was initially detained following his arrest on February 14, 2022, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for his alleged involvement with an international drug cartel.
Kyari, along with four members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT)—Sunday Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba, and John Nuhu—was arraigned on March 7, 2022.
They faced charges related to drug trafficking and other offenses.
Two suspected drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who were apprehended at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, were also charged in connection with the case.
While Kyari and the IRT members pleaded not guilty, Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty and were subsequently convicted.
Despite numerous applications, Kyari’s requests for bail were repeatedly denied. However, a recent decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja altered his detention status.
On May 22, 2024, Judge Emeka Nwite granted Kyari bail to allow him to conclude the burial rites of his mother, Yachilla Kyari, who passed away on May 5.
As part of his bail conditions, Kyari was required to deposit his passport with the court and report to the nearest NDLEA office during the bail period.
The court scheduled a hearing for May 31, 2024, to address Kyari’s main application for bail concerning the drug trafficking charges.
Adamu Duza, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service of the Federal Capital Territory Command, confirmed on Friday, May 31, 2024, night that Kyari had met his bail conditions and was released.
“DCP Kyari has perfected his bail conditions and has since been released today,” Duza stated.
The circumstances surrounding Kyari’s detention and release have garnered significant public attention, given his high-profile status and the serious nature of the charges against him.
As the case progresses, further court proceedings will determine the outcome of the drug trafficking charges against Kyari and his co-accused.
