The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Kyari pleaded not guilty on Monday before Justice Emeka Nwite at a Federal High Court in Abuja, following his arraignment, alongside six others, on eight counts of drug trafficking.
Kyari pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four, and eight while the other four police officers, who are defendants in the trial, also pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, and four.
The two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who are sixth and seventh defendants respectively, both pleaded guilty to counts five, six, and seven leveled against them.
Although Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in counts three and four, they were however not asked to take a plea on these two counts.
Counsel to Kyari, along with counsel to other defendants, informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of their clients but NDLEA’s lawyer said a counter affidavit had been filed in opposition to the bail application.
NDLEA accused Kyari and four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine weighing 17.55kg while the two alleged traffickers were accused of conspiring with others at large to import 21.35kg of cocaine into Nigeria.
On February 22, 2022, Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court had given the NDLEA another 14 days to detain Kyari and other defendants in order for the Agency to conclude its investigation.