The ordeal of Nigeria’s ex-super cop, Abba Kyari continues as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday refused to grant bail to the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Mr. Kyari and six others have been arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over alleged drug trafficking offences after the agency released video evidences of Mr. Kyari attempting to sell seized drugs and attempting to bribe an official of the anti-drug agency in February.
The Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) indicted the highly decorated officer making an arrest at the request of fraudster – Ramon Abbas, who has pleaded guilty to money laundering, according to the US Justice Department.
Since the FBI’s revelation, the possibility of having Kyari extradited to the United States to face charges has been a subject of controversy with Nigeria’s Attorney General, Abubakar Malami caught in the middle of the controversy with confusing and inconsistent stands.
At the court hearing today, the NDLEA argued that it was inappropriate to grant bail to the applicant because of the facts and circumstances of the case. NDLEA believes that the medical challenges which the applicant (Kyari) based his bail request on were not beyond the capacity of the agency’s medical personnel.
The anti-narcotic agency described Kyari as “a flight risk”, arguing that if granted bail, the suspended DCP might escape and interfere with the evidence if granted bail, urging the court to dismiss Kyari’s bail plea.
The judge, in the ruling, aligned with NDLEA’s arguments and dismissed the request. He also ordered the transfer of Kyari and his co-defendants to Kuje Prison in Abuja.