25kg of Cocaine: Court rejects Abba Kyari’s bail application

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, refused to grant an application for bail filed by the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who declined to grant the plea in a motion ex-parte brought by Kyari’s Lawyer, C. O. Ikena, ordered that the respondent, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), be put on notice.

He, thereafter, adjourned the matter until April 24 for the motion to be taken.

When the matter was called, Ikena informed that she had an ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ANJ/CS/182/22 before the court.

She said the motion sought a bail for her client on health ground.

“I filed a motion to admit the applicant to a bail on health grant pending the determination of the substantive matter,” she said.

Justice Ekwo then asked: “Where is the applicant?”

“He is at the NDLEA’s custody my lord,” she responded.

The judge then asked the lawyer what the substantive matter was all about and she said: “The substantive matter is about infringement on his fundamental rights and false allegations.”

Ekwo told the lawyer that going by the averments in the application, the respondent (NDLEA) would have to be put on notice and a date fixed to hear the motion.

He said this was so because the averment Ikena made would need a response of the NDLEA.

“But my lord, his (Kyari’s) condition at the custody is critical,” she said.

Justice Ekwo, however, insisted that the NDLEA be put on notice.

The judge adjourned the matter until April 24 for the motion to be taken.

He also ordered the NDLEA to file their response before the next adjourned date.

The NDLEA had, on Feb. 14, declared Kyari wanted over alleged links with an international drug cartel.

The Nigeria Police on Feb. 14 arrested Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct.

Others are official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a transnational drug cartel.

The arrest of Kyari and others came after the NDLEA declared him wanted on Monday.

The police then handed Kyari and others involved in the alleged offence to the NDLEA.

TheStar