Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on Monday ordered the remand of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari and six others, in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) till Monday, March 14, 2022, when their bail application will be heard.
The judge granted the order shortly after Kyari and four of his colleagues in the Inspector General of Police’s special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) pleaded not guilty to dealing in hard drugs.
Meanwhile, two of the defendants — Chibuinna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne — pleaded guilty to the charge.
Consequently, the judge adjourned to March 28 for the review of facts in their case.
Kyari and four of his IRT members including Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sunday Ubua, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba and Inspector John Nuhu were arrested by the police on February 12, 2022 and handed over to the NDLEA for investigation over allegations bordering on drug offences.
The charge, filed on Thursday and marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, was signed by NDLEA’s Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr Joseph Sunday.
In count one, Kyari, ACP Ubua, ASP James, Inspector Agirigba and Inspector Nuhu, all of IRT were said to have between January 19 and 25 dealt in 17.55 kilogrammes of cocaine and committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (b) of the Natural Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
