24/7 NG Politics, Feb. 22, 2022
 |
| Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari |
It is no longer news that suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari has been arrested and is currently in detention.
This came after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at a world press conference on on February 14, declared Kyari wanted “over his involvement in a 25kg cocaine deal”.
This was after he had been suspended from the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, months ago following his indictment by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged involvement with Internet fraudster, Hushpuppi, in cyber-criminal activities.
He has remained in custody since then and this is a look at some of the things the "super cop" has had to say in a bid to secure his release.
I'm Suffering From Chronic Diabetes - Abba Kyari
 |
| Kyari |
Kyari had his day at court on Monday and during the process, the suspended DCP requested for his release from custody citing health reasons.
In an ex parte application argued by his counsel, Cynthia Ikena, Kyari claimed to be suffering from chronic diabetes threatening his life and, therefore, needed urgent medical attention.
In the affidavits of urgency, Usman, Kyari’s younger brother, said the applicant is “suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and severe heart disease that may cause death”.
“That the applicant was receiving medical treatment on daily basis due to the seriousness of the illness,” he said.
“That since 12th of February, 2022, the applicant has not accessed any medical treatment, which is very dangerous to his health.
“That failure of the applicant to check his heart, high blood pressure will result in severe health problems or may even lead to heart failure and death. The medical report from National Hospital is hereby attached and marked as Exhibit A.
“That due to the applicant being a diabetic patient and on a medical diet, he does not eat outside his home and this is causing a very big hardship on the applicant that is in NDLEA custody.
“That the health of the applicant cannot be managed while in NDLEA custody due to the seriousness of his illness. That it is in the interest of justice that this applicant be admitted to bail on health grounds.
“That the applicant will not jump bail if bail is granted him. That he had a reliable surety who is in court.”
In response, Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja, refused to order the Federal Government to release Kyari, from the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The judge decided instead to order that Kyari put the Federal Government on notice of the existence of the suit he instituted against it.
A report by Punch says Kyari had dragged the Federal Government before the court challenging his continued detention by the NDLEA.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, Kyari, who is being held by the NDLEA over his alleged involvement in a drug deal, sought an order of the court to immediately release him and asked to be admitted to bail in liberal conditions.
Justice Ekwo in response also ordered him to go and serve all processes he filed on the Federal Government.
According to the judge, all the averments and allegations made against the Federal Government were so weighty that the court must give the government the opportunity to hear from it before taking any step.
He fixed Thursday for the parties to appear before him.
I Was Framed - Abba Kyari Insists
In what came as quite a form of defence, Kyari has said the allegations against him by the NDLEA are “trumped-up”.
A report by TheCable says in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, the suspended cop is accusing the NDLEA of assisting drug traffickers.
Kyari according to the suit also alleged that a corrupt NDLEA officer framed him after he went to demand compensation for a whistleblower who provided information that led to the arrest of a suspect by the police intelligence response team (IRT).
He alleged that the suspect has been bringing cocaine into Nigeria from Ethiopia via all of the country’s airports “with the knowledge of the NDLEA officers”.
Kyari, in an affidavit deposed to by one Muhammad Nur Usman, who claimed to be his younger brother, told the court that NDLEA officers usually cleared the suspect “and even escorted him from the airport to his destination” according to the report.
“That on that fateful day, the suspect as usual shipped drugs (cocaine) from Ethiopia to Enugu airport. The officer of NDLEA cleared him within the airport, then officers of FIB-IRT arrested the suspect with the help of information,” the affidavit reads.
Watch: The travails of Abba Kyari
“That before the informant accepted to work with the officers of FIB-IRT, they both had an agreement to compensate the informant.
“That officers of FIB-IRT having noticed that officers of NDLEA were the ones clearing the said suspect with his drugs (cocaine), they immediately took the suspect to NDLEA and also reported those officers involved in the act.
“That instead of the NDLEA to handle the matter accordingly and bring their officers involved to book, they decided to frustrate the informant, thereby refusing to compensate the informant.
“That it was at this juncture that the attention of the DCP Abba Kyari was called, whom because the NDLEA officer involved is his friend, decided to intervene for the purpose of compensating the informant.
“That the NDLEA officer who refused to compensate the informant was the one who framed DCP Abba Kyari up on a trump-up allegation that he was trying to bribe him.
“That the agent of the respondent (NDLEA) declared the applicant wanted because of a mere allegation that he was trying to bribe an NDLEA officer without sufficient proof.
“That the Nigerian police force, based on the allegation of the respondent, arrested the applicant on the 12th day of February, 2022, and handed over to the NDLEA.”
The suspended cop who was not done also insisted that there was no proof to support the allegation upon which he was arrested and detained.
“That the applicant is a decent police officer who has distinguished himself in areas of serving his father’s land as a police officer,” the document reads.
“That the applicant needs to be compensated and not to be dragged about, receiving torture, degrading and inhuman treatment by anybody or agency whatsoever.
“That there is no sufficient proof that the applicant has committed any offence to warrant this torture, degrading and inhuman treatment.”
Abba Kyari Demands N500 Million Over Arrest
In addition to the above, Kyari in what seems like a fresh twist to the case is now demanding N500 million in damages against the NDLEA over what he describes as unlawful detention.
This was made known in his originating summons as said by Kyari;s lawyer.
According to him, Kyari is seeking the enforcement of his fundamental human rights enshrined under the 1999 constitution and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
He sought the court to declare his arrest and continued detention by the NDLEA “without bringing him before a court of competent jurisdiction from February 12 till date as illegal, unlawful and a gross violation of his fundamental rights
"An order of this court directing the respondent to pay the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) to the applicant, for unlawful violation of the applicant’s constitutional right provided for in Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended)," part of the report says.
Watch: The Rise & Fall Of Abba Kyari
Post a Comment