The suspended head of the Nigeria Police Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari, has been granted bail.
According to SaharaReporters, Kyari was granted bail on Thursday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kyari and two of his siblings were charged after being accused of failing to declare assets to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The NDLEA had filed the 24 counts marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022 against Kyari and his two siblings – Mohammed Baba Kyari and Ali Kyari.
Justice Omotosho granted Kyari conditional bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum with registered properties in the matter FRN Vs Abba Kyari and 2 others.
The sureties must have property worth N250 million within the jurisdiction and he must submit his passport. However, SaharaReporters learnt from a source in the court that no one had come to perfect his bail yet.
“However, Abba Kyari will remain in prison because of his drug case before Justice Emeka Nwite. He was in court yesterday but for some reason, his trial could not proceed before Intelligence Justice Nwite,” the source said.
The judge noted that Kyari and his team did not escape when they had the chance to do so during an att@ck on Kuje Prison on July 5, 2022. The majority of inmates at the facilities escaped during the att@ck but Kyari and some others did not escape.
According to the judge, Kyari’s refusal to escape proves that he is willing to face the allegations against him and not jump bail. The judge also noted that the allegations against Kyari are bailable.
However, it is reported that Kyari cannot return home yet because of a pending case before Justice Emeka Nwite. Justice Nwite had refused to grant bail to Kyari and his co-defendants. Kyari is standing trial on cocaine-related charges alongside four members of his former police unit, the Intelligence Response Unit (IRT).
The four police officers among Mr Kyari’s co-defendants are Sunday Ubua, an assistant commissioner of police; Bawa James, an assistant superintendent of police; Simon Agirgba, an inspector, and John Nuhu, also an inspector.
Two civilians, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, were also arrested over the charges at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State. The court jailed the two men after they pleaded guilty.
