…As Police indict drug agency’s officers for compromise
…Hand over Kyari, four others for prosecution
By Abimbola Abatta and Uthman Salami
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, on Monday tasked operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to investigate officers involved in the alleged $61,400 cocaine bribery.
The IGP said this after investigations revealed that the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari alongside four others were involved with allegations of tampering with narcotic exhibits, official corruption and sundry unprofessional infractions.
Recall that the NDLEA had declared Kyari wanted in connection with a drug syndicate that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.
It was reported that Abba Kyari tried to negotiate the release of 25kg of cocaine that was seized from a suspect in Enugu State. Kyari had also offered the NDLEA team a bribe of $61,400.
The Police boss equally urged the NDLEA to identify, arrest and investigate officers of the Agency who colluded with the international drug cartel involved in the case.
Following the findings of the in-house Police Investigation Panel, the Inspector-General of Police yesterday ordered the immediate arrest and transfer of all the indicted police officers to the NDLEA authorities.
The concerned officers include DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday Ubuah, ASP Bawa James, ASP John Umoru (at large), Insp. Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu.
This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
According to the police spokesperson, the arrest of the officers was sequel to pieces of information received from the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has arrested DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a perpetual transnational drug cartel.
“The arrest of the officers was sequel to pieces of information received from the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on 10th February, 2022.
“In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations.”
He said further that “the interim investigations report revealed that two (2) international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on the 19th of January, 2022 upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917.
“The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers. The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
“Although the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on the 25th January, 2022, the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the Inspector General of Police established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings as well as official corruption which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.”
The Police also established that investigations showed that the international narcotics cartel involved in the case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu who are on their pay roll.
“The two arrested drug couriers confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification, seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked.
“The two arrested drug couriers also confirmed that they have been enjoying this relationship with the NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since 2021 and had in this instant case of 19th January, 2022, been identified and cleared by the NDLEA officers as customary, having received their pre-departure photographs and other details prior to their arrival in Enugu, and were on their way out with the narcotics when they were apprehended by the Police.
“The Police investigations report also indicted DCP Abba Kyari, who had been on suspension for his alleged involvement in a different fraud case being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), for complicity in the allegation of official corruption, tampering with narcotics exhibit and sundry unprofessional conducts that negate the standard administrative and investigative protocols of the Force as well as extant criminal laws.
“It is to be emphasised that DCP Abba Kyari’s involvement in these allegation occurred while his suspension from service was subsisting,” the police revealed.
Meanwhile, the IGP has assured Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to upholding the tenets and values of policing in line with the agenda of ethical regeneration, restoration of professional standard, enhancement of the anti-corruption drive, respect for the rule of law and inter-agency collaboration.