Crime
BREAKING: Relief ends for Kyari, ex-IRT boss, as court denies him fresh bail
Abba Kyari, formally detained Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and erstwhile Commander of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), may have returned back to prison, no thanks to the decision of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to deny him a fresh bail application, after a temporary relief for him to bury his mother.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case of the multiple award-winning super cop, who is currently being prosecuted by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for drug-related crimes, refused to renew a fresh pleading for bail, pending the conclusion of his trial, after the expiration of the initial one.
At a court session in which reporters were barred, the court, reportedly ruled on Wednesday, that the fresh application by the embattled police officer lacked merit, stressing that Kyari, who is currently suspended from the police, failed to establish any exceptional circumstance that would warrant the exercise of judicial discretion in his favour.
Nwite, who noted that the trial court had earlier dismissed a similar bail application that was brought before it and ordered accelerated hearing of the case, held that no evidence was adduced to show why the court should depart from its earlier ruling and consequently, refused the application and gave the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NLDEA, the nod to proceed with prosecution of both Kyari and his co-defendants in the matter.
Kyari had secured a temporary relief a month ago after the court granted his release from prison custody to enable him to participate in his mother’s final burial rites, for a period not exceeding two weeks, while being mandated to pay a bail bond to the tune of N50million with a surety in the like sum.
Nwite, who had on May 16, 2023, barred reporters from covering the case of the defendant who is on trial for allegedly tampering with cocaine that was seized from two convicted drug peddlers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, maintained that they should stay away whenever Kyari’s case was called up for hearing before the court.
This was after acceding to an application brought before the court by the anti-drug agency in the matter of Kyari, currently facing an eight-count charge preferred against him and four members of his team; ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu citing security reasons.
At the Wednesday proceeding, the agency had persuaded the court to walk all reporters and lawyers not connected to the case, out of the courtroom, citing the need to protect identities of some witnesses billed to testify in the matter, with Sunday Joseph, its lawyer, pleading that that some of the witnesses he identified as intelligent officers, needed to be shielded, in view of the sensitivity of the case.
Sunday, Director of Prosecution at the NDLEA, maintained that the application was in the overall national interest, the prosecution counsel said it was observed that members of the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police IRT, who were loyal to DCP Kyari, were always in court to observe the proceedings.
Kyari, who had twice lost the bid for his freedom at the lower court and Court of Appeal and who also lost the bid to halt the trial, following the dismissal of his application on March 22, challenging the jurisdiction of the court, by the court, had argued through Nureni Jimoh (SAN), his lawyer that the charge was legally defective and premature, because the NDLEA ought to have allowed police to exhaust its internal machinery before it instituted the action.
Owing to the ongoing investigation by his employers, Kyari, whose ordeal started after the NDLEA said he tampered with the drug he seized, had told the court that he could only be charged to court upon conclusion of the internal investigation by the police, which he acknowledge already had an interim report on the matter,
Specifically, the anti-drug agency is claiming that the suspended IRT boss, and his men, unlawfully tampered with 21.25kilograms worth of cocaine that they seized from the two convicted drug traffickers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane- even as it also accused them of dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.
The offence was allegedly committed between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
A completely scandalised Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 presidential election is horrified that Nigeria has descended to the abysmal level of human degeneration where a teacher would be beheaded, recorded and video image shared freely to the public without consequences.
Obi, also former Governor of Anambra State, described the incident involving one of the teachers kidnapped last Friday during an attack on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School all in Esiele community of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as “not just a security challenge but a failure of collective humanity.”
On the heels of President Bola Tinubu’s promise on Monday assuring that all victims, comprising, teachers, staff and student of the said schools, Obi, expressed dismay at the utter degeneration of the Nigerian situation.
Writing on his X, Obi, currently running for presidency on the platform of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said: “Some events shatter a society so deeply that words are no longer enough to express the shock; the brutal killing of a teacher and the horrific rape and murder of an elderly woman are among such tragedies.
“These are not isolated incidents but signs of deeper moral and social decay. How did we get here? How did we reach a point where teachers are hunted and killed, and the elderly—custodians of memory and wisdom—suffer such dehumanising violence?”
Titled ‘A Nation Losing Its HUMANITY’ late Monday, decried the incident and tagged it a sign of moral and social decay, he added: “This is more than a security crisis; it is a failure of collective humanity. We have become desensitised, consuming tragedy briefly and moving on, allowing indifference to normalise the unacceptable.
“To the families affected, I share in your grief. But grief alone is not enough. We must demand accountability and urgent systemic change. If such atrocities no longer move us to action, then we risk losing our shared humanity.”
Obi’s reaction comes after Seyi Makinde, on Sunday, confirmed the killing of one of the teachers abducted alongside other victims and pledged that the government would continue efforts to rescue the remaining abductees.
The governor, who also confirmed that seven teachers and an as-yet-unconfirmed number of pupils were abducted, said one of the abducted teachers, believed to be a Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists.
He said: “What we know right now is that seven teachers were abducted. Unfortunately, we received a video this morning indicating that one of the teachers, understood to be the Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists. Our prayers are with the family.”
Social media influencer and relationship therapist, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N36 million fraud case.
She was docked on Friday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and alleged theft.
According to the charge, Blessing CEO allegedly obtained N36 million from Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye between July 14 and 17, 2024, under the pretence of securing a six-bedroom duplex located in Lekki, Lagos, a statement on the anti-graft agency’s website said.
The prosecution alleged that the representation was false and violated provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
She was also accused of fraudulently converting the said sum for personal use, contrary to the Criminal Code Act.
Blessing CEO pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read in court.
Following her plea, the prosecution requested that she be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial, while the defence counsel said she had only just been served with the charges and was preparing a bail application.
Justice D. I. Dipeolu ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing of her bail application.
The case was adjourned till June 5, 2026, for trial.
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