Court delivers judgment in NDLEA’s case against Abba Kyari

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, fixed Feb. 26, 2026, for judgment in a case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against suspended DCP Abba Kyari.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NDLEA is prosecuting Kyari, the former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and his two younger brothers on allegations bordering on non-disclosure of assets.

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after counsel for the NDLEA, Sunday Joseph, Kyari’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and his brothers’ counsel, Monjok Agom, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the charge.

The NDLEA, in the 23-count charge, named Abba Kyari, Mohammed Kyari, and Ali Kyari as the 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively.

The anti-narcotics agency alleged that Abba and his two younger brothers, Mohammed and Ali, failed to make a full disclosure of their assets.

It said it uncovered 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estates, polo playgrounds, lands and farmland belonging to Kyari.

Kyari was alleged to have failed to disclose his ownership of properties in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and in Maiduguri, Borno.

The NDLEA alleged that over N207 million and Є17,598 were also discovered in Kyari’s various accounts at Guarantee Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, and Sterling Bank.

The agency, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022, also accused them of “disguising of ownership of properties and conversion of monies.”

The NDLEA said the offences are punishable under Section 35 (3) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, and Section 15 (3) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The NDLEA called 10 witnesses to prove their case and tendered at least 20 exhibits.

Kyari, however, elected to make a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case.
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The former IRT leader, through his lawyer, argued that the prosecution had failed to provide evidence showing that he was indeed the owner of the said property.

But Justice Omotosho, on Oct. 28, dismissed the no-case submission on the ground that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the defendants; hence, the need to open his defence to clarify some of the issues.

Kyari, who opened his defence on Nov. 4, insisted that he declared his assets and those of his wife in line with the law.

Besides, he denied ownership of some of the assets linked to him by the NDLEA.

He clarified that some of the property listed by the prosecution belonged to his late father, who had about 30 children.

He also refuted the allegations that he owned the polo playground in Borno, saying he was surprised that the large expanse of land would be linked to him.

NAN reports that Kyari, on Nov. 26, closed his defence after he concluded his evidence led by Ikpeazu and was cross-examined by the NDLEA lawyer.

However, Kyari’s two brothers (Mohammed and Ali), through their lawyer, Monjok Agom, told the court they would not call any witnesses.

According to the lawyer, we shall rest our case on the prosecution’s case.

NAN reports that the instant case is different from the cocaine deal trial he is undergoing alongside some police officers before Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

However, both cases were instituted by the NDLEA in 2022.

culled from vanguard