THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will today arraign the suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, before a Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight count charge bordering on trafficking of hard drug. NDLEA had, last week charged DCP Abba Kyari with the criminal offences alongside four other senior police officers and two civilians.
Those charged along with him in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022 and signed by the NDLEA Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr Joseph Sunday are; Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sunday Ubua, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba, Inspector John Nuhu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.
In count one, Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba, and Inspector John Nuhu, all of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) were said to have between January 19 and 25 dealt in 17. 55 kilograms of cocaine and committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (b) of the Natural Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP 30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count two reads: “That you DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dealt in 17.55kilogrammes of cocaine without lawful authority and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, all male, Adult on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, within the office of the Inspector-General of (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves and with ASP John Umoru (now at large) to unlawfully tamper with 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka AlphonsEzenwannne in the custody of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), by removing and disposing 17.55 kilogrammes of the cocaine and by substituting same with some other substance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.”
In count four, the defendants were accused of unlawfully tampering with 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwannne in the custody, by removing and disposing 17.55 kilogrammes of the cocaine and substituting same with some other substance and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 16 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.
Count five reads, “That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male adult and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 19th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Chibunna Patrick Umeibe, male, adult; and you Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, male adult on or about the 25th January 2022 at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Court without lawful authority imported 21.35kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to an punishable under section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ACT CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
They were all accused in count seven of possessing 21.35 kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count eight reads, “That you DCP Abba Kyari, on or about 25th January 2022, at a restaurant on Port Harcourt Crescent, Area 11, Garki Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court, attempted to obstruct the Agency and its authorised officers in the exercise of their duties by offering the sum of $61,400.00 USD to a senior officer of the Agency as inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kilogrammes of substance used to replace the cocaine seized from Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 23 and punishable under section 49 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”