A federal high court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted Abba Kyari, suspended deputy commissioner of police, of a 23-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to establish its case against Kyari and the other defendants.
Kyari was charged alongside his two brothers, who were accused of swearing false affidavits to conceal the origin of some properties allegedly linked to the police officer.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Omotosho said the NDLEA did not present sufficient evidence to prove that the properties cited in the charge belonged to Kyari.
The NDLEA filed a 23-count charge (FHC/ABJ/CR/408/2022) in 2022 against Kyari and his brothers, Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari, accusing them of failing to declare 14 assets—including shopping malls, a residential estate, polo playground, lands, farmland in Abuja and Maiduguri—plus over ₦207 million and €17,598 in bank accounts at GTB, UBA, and Sterling Bank.
These violations allegedly fall under Section 35(3)(a) of the NDLEA Act and Section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, with claims of disguised ownership and fund conversion.
Kyari secured N50 million bail in July 2023 from Justice James Omotosho, as the charges were deemed bailable.
The prosecution closed after 10 witnesses and 20 exhibits, including property deeds and bank records; Kyari filed a no-case submission, denying ownership and claiming properties inherited from his late father, among 30 siblings. The court, in October 2025, rejected Kyari’s no case submission, ordering defense.
Meanwhile, Abba Kyari’s cocaine trafficking trial is still ongoing before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kyari and four IRT officers—ACP Sunday Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirgba, Insp. John Nuhu—face five counts for conspiracy, tampering with 21.35kg cocaine (removing 17.55kg), and unlawful dealing from January 2022 at Enugu Airport, under NDLEA Act Sections 11(c) and 14(b).
NDLEA closed prosecution after 10 witnesses; courts rejected no-case pleas in April/October 2025, ordering defense. On February 27, 2026, video evidence (Exhibit D-3) from co-defendants’ confessions was admitted over NDLEA objection.
Trial was adjourned to March 16 for video playback and continuation.
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