National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Wednesday, unveiled more damning evidence against Abba Kyari and his group in the ongoing investigations into their drug deals.
The anti-narcotic agency, making the new evidence public on Wednesday, also stated its resolve to ensure no one is shielded in the course of the ongoing investigation of a 25kg cocaine deal involving a gang believed to be headed by Kyari.
The agency said it remained committed to an evidence-based investigation, stating its resolve not to allow its operations to be weakened by any misrepresentation of facts.
The anti-drug agency unfolded more revelations on the drug deals while reacting to what it described as “inaccuracies in the information in the public space that NDLEA officers at the Enugu airport were the ones who received from the cartel details about the mule coming from Addis Ababa”
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi in a statement, quoted copiously from the transcript of Abba Kyari’s recorded conversation with the undercover officer as well as a portion of James Bawa’s statement to the police as documented in the police investigation report, a copy of which was made available to the agency.
Babafemi stated that “it’s an established fact that it’s the Abba Kyari’s team that was contacted by the cartel and without doubt, the records clearly show how their ring works”
The NDLEA said the new facts were based on evidence collected from Kyari and others during interrogations by the police before they were handed over along with the report of their interrogation.
According to the police investigation report, James Bawa in his statement to the police revealed that “he was called by an informant identified as IK from Brazil who told him that a drug courier will be arriving onboard Ethiopian Airlines in Enugu.
He explained further that a pointer from IK, the Brazil-based informant met with him at about 1420hrs on January 19, 2022, outside the airport and showed him a picture of the courier.
“Subsequently, they sighted the suspect as he exited the airport terminal after all arrival clearance formalities, and he was arrested with another associate.”
In his own recorded conversation with our undercover officer, Abba Kyari also said the following: “They are greedy, seriously greedy (referring to his informants), we tried to have them accept 40 percent but they refused, except 50 percent, they know the rudiment of the deal very well, they are the ones that do the packing
“From Brazil, one of the informants accompanied it to Ethiopia. You understand; one of the informants accompanied the goods to Ethiopia, one of the informants that give us information. He is the boy of the big baron.
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“From Addis, it will be given to those to proceed further with it, he will get their snapshots without their knowledge. Yes, he will reveal those that are conveying it further, get snapshots of theirs without their knowledge and send them to us (Abba Kyari’s team).
“So we already know the goods, picture and the clothes they are wearing, hope you understand, we know your name, he will give us everything. So, automatically my team will just be waiting, they will just see you and arrest you.”
In his response to the question on whether his boys are usually stationed inside or outside the airport, Abba Kyari said, “Yes, yes, some are outside while some are inside. They will just allow you to finish arrival formalities and arrest you the moment you come out.”
According to the NDLEA, “the above no doubt establishes who the cartel was relating with and their modus operandi. Again, this is to correct inaccuracies in some reports and assure that the agency will not deviate from an evidence-based investigation that will spare nobody found complicit”
This is as more revelations are still unfolding as the agency continues further interrogations.
