After spending 18 months in prison custody, Abba Kyari, the former head of the Inspector General of Police’s Rapid Response Team (IRT), has been released on bail.
In February 2022, Kyari and several members of his team were apprehended following allegations by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of tampering with drug exhibits.
Earlier that year in January, the IRT team had arrested Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who were linked to 21.25kg of cocaine. The suspects were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA along with the confiscated cocaine.
The situation took a dramatic turn when the NDLEA declared Kyari and some IRT members wanted for their alleged involvement in tampering with the evidence.
Since then, both Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne have been released from prison after being convicted.
After multiple attempts to obtain bail, Kyari was granted bail by Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court 9 on Thursday.
He ruled that for the fact that DCP Abba Kyari and his team refused to escape when Kuje Prison was attacked on July 5, 2022, where about 90 percent of the inmates escaped, “it has proven that Kyari is ready to face any allegations against him.”
Besides the judge said all the “allegations are all bailable” and he is not “a flight risk”.
A member of his defence team, Barr Suleiman Shehu hailed the court decision “as a well-deserved victory.”