Abuja-based Federal High Court, on Monday, refused the bail application filed by his lawyers.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, while delivering a ruling on Kyari’s plea for bail, rejected the application through a motion ex-parte brought by his Lawyer, C. O. Ikena.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until April 24 for the motion, FHC/ANJ/CS/182/22 to be taken and directed that Kyari be kept in custody
Ekwo informed the lawyer that going by the averments in the application, the NDLEA, who are the respondents would have to be put on notice and fixed April 24th for further hearing on the motion.
He also ordered the NDLEA be put on notice so they can also file their response before the next adjourned date.
He said this was so because the averment Ikena made would need a response from the NDLEA.
Businessday gathered that Ikena, in her motion ex-party, sought bail for the suspended Kyari, claiming “ health Reasons” for her application
“I filed a motion to admit the applicant to a bail on health grant pending the determination of the substantive matter,” she said.
Justice Ekwo then asked: “Where is the applicant?”
“He is at the NDLEA’s custody my lord,” she responded.
Ikena argued that the “substantive matter is about infringement on his fundamental rights and false allegations.”
“But my lord, his (Kyari’s) condition at the custody is critical,” she said.
Justice Ekwo, however, insisted that the NDLEA be put on notice.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 24 for the motion to be taken.
Recall that National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, had on Wednesday unveiled more damning evidence against Abba Kyari and his group in the ongoing investigations into the drug deals.
The body, while making the new evidence public on Wednesday, vowed to ensure that no one will be shielded in the course of the ongoing investigation of a 25kg cocaine deal involving a gang headed by Abba Kyari.
The Agency said it remains committed to the evidence-based investigation and its resolve cannot be weakened by any misrepresentation of facts.
Read also: NDLEA tenders more evidence against Abba Kyari, his team
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 Agency’s Spokesman, 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.
The Agency’s Spokesman 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 reveals 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 19th January 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%, 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.
“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.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
