Court of Appeal rejects Kyari’s bid to overturn drug charges

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed a bid by the former Inspector-General of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari, to quash the illegal drug dealing charges against him.

A three-judge panel led by Justice Adebukola Banjoko dismissed Kyari’s appeal as baseless.

The once-feared super cop was charged by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) along with four IRT members with conspiracy to distribute 17.55 kg of cocaine.

The other accused are ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu.

They were also charged with trafficking in cocaine without a valid permit, conspiracy to tamper with cocaine, and unlawfully tampering with 21.35 kg of cocaine seized from two convicted drug dealers.

Kyari has appealed against the judgment dated March 22, 2023 by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which dismissed the application filed by the defendant.

The police officer in his application challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him and the other accused when they had not been subjected to the internal disciplinary mechanism of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Justice Banjoko, who delivered the verdict on Thursday, held that there was no reason to change the findings and conclusions reached on the matter by the lower court.

He said: “In conclusion, this court finds no reason to disturb the findings and conclusions reached by the judge of the Federal High Court, and in the judgment delivered on 22 March 2023 affirmed.

“The honorable trial judge is ordered to continue and conclude the trial at the Federal High Court.

“The appeal is deemed to be without merit and is therefore dismissed.”

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