NDLEA Declares Embattled Cop, Kyari Wanted Over Alleged Drug Trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has declared suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kiyari, wanted following investigations linking him to an international drug cartel.
The anti-narcotics agency, through its spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, disclosed this at a press briefing Monday, 14 February, 2022, at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
TheFact Nigeria reports that the embattled Kiyari, who was last year suspended from the Force following accusations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, of his involvement with billionaire fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, was today declared wanted for allegedly trafficking 25 kilograms of cocaine.
Babafemi lamented the situation where those who are supposed to support efforts to stem the tide of illicit drug trafficking and abuse are themselves neck deep in the menace, and disclosed that the arrests and seizures by NDLEA in the past 12 months is an indication that the countrys drug problem was grossly underestimated before President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to strengthen the NDLEA and the subsequent launch of offensive action by the Agency to clean the society of the menace.
“And in just 12 months, even the most cynical of Nigerians now agree that the country is really in a drug quagmire and therefore appreciates the relentless efforts of NDLEA operatives.
“Unfortunately, some law enforcement agents who should be partners in the pursuit of the President’s mandate are at the forefront of breaking the law, as they aid and abet drug trafficking in the country.
“Today, we are forced to declare one of such law enforcement agents wanted in the person of suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force”, Babafemi said.
Babafemi further expressed the strong belief of the Agency based on “intelligence at our disposal”, that DCP Kyari is a member of a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline, and needs to answer questions that crop up in an ongoing drug case in which he is the principal actor.
A series of meetings and calls ensued over a period of days between Kiyari and an NDLEA official who played along, after which the Agency duly followed relevant channels of communication in the demand for Kyari, without any result.
The Agency could not continue to keep other suspects in the case indefinitely while the principal suspect failed to honour official invitation.
“DCP Abba Kyari was invited by NDLEA for debriefing on Thursday February 10, through two main channels because there is a whole lot of questions begging for answers. The invitation was legitimate and formal according to our protocol. But up till the close of office hours on Friday, February 11, he refused to respond. Up till this moment, he hasnt responded.
Flowing the allegations, the Inspector General of Police had directed a panel to investigate the matter. Only three days ago, the Police Service Commission, PSC, had directed the police to conclude its investigation into the FBI allegations in two weeks.
