Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has been released from the Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after spending 27 months in detention.
Kyari, who was the former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was granted a temporary two-week bail by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to allow him to conclude his mother’s burial rites.
The court’s decision, made last week, provided Kyari the opportunity to honour his late mother, Yachilla Kyari, who passed away on May 5, 2024.
Yachilla Kyari, who left behind ten children, including Abba, her eldest son, was to have her burial rites performed in Borno State.
Adamu Duza, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service of the Federal Capital Territory Command, confirmed Kyari’s release on Friday.
“DCP Kyari has perfected his bail conditions and has since been released today,” said Duza
Kyari’s legal troubles began over two years ago when he was arrested and charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with various drug-related offenses.
These charges include conspiracy to deal in 17.55kg of cocaine, dealing in cocaine without lawful authority, and conspiracy to tamper with and unlawfully tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine seized from two convicted drug dealers.
Further complicating Kyari’s case were allegations that he and his deputy, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sunday Ubua, received significant sums of money in their separate bank accounts.
According to a report by the NDLEA sent to the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, in 2022, approximately N1.4 billion was traced to Kyari’s account, while Ubua received around N2.8 billion in his eight bank accounts.
The IRT, under Kyari’s leadership, had previously been embroiled in controversies, including allegations of gross human rights abuses.
Both the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Amnesty International had accused the elite crime-busting squad of serious misconduct.
In 2019, the IRT faced scrutiny for allegedly taking over multibillion-naira properties owned by Collins Ezenwa, a suspected kidnapper killed by the police.
Additionally, two suspected drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, implicated Kyari in a drug cartel.
While Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty and were convicted, Kyari maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty.
Kyari’s repeated requests for bail had been denied until the recent decision by the Federal High Court following his mother’s death.
The court set Friday, May 31, for the determination of his bail application related to the ongoing trial over the drug charges.
The temporary release of Abba Kyari has sparked varied reactions across Nigeria, with many citizens and human rights groups closely watching the developments of his case.
The public and the media are keenly awaiting the next court proceedings to see how this high-profile case unfolds.
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