Suspended Police Chief Abba Kyari Released After 27 Months in Detention

Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre in the Federal Capital Territory after 27 months of detention. Kyari was initially detained following his arrest on February 14, 2022, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged involvement with an international drug cartel.

Kyari, along with four members of the Police Intelligence Response Team—Sunday Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba, and John Nuhu—was arraigned on March 7, 2022. Two suspected drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, were also charged. While Kyari and his team pleaded not guilty, Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty and were convicted.

Despite multiple applications, Kyari’s requests for bail were repeatedly denied until a recent decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja. On May 22, 2024, Judge Emeka Nwite granted Kyari bail to allow him to conclude the burial rites of his mother, Yachilla Kyari, who passed away on May 5. As part of the bail conditions, Kyari was required to deposit his passport with the court and report to the nearest NDLEA office during the bail period.

On Friday night, Adamu Duza, spokesperson of the Nigerian Correctional Service of the Federal Capital Territory Command, confirmed that Kyari had met his bail conditions and was released. “DCP Kyari has perfected his bail conditions and has since been released today,” Duza stated.

The court has scheduled May 31, 2024, for the hearing on Kyari’s main application for bail regarding the drug trafficking charges.