The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it will
not spare anyone found complicit in the 25kg cocaine deal allegedly involving
Abba Kyari, suspended deputy commissioner of police.
On Monday, the anti-drug agency, in a press briefing,
declared Kyari wanted over alleged links with an international drug cartel.
Femi Babalola, spokesperson of the NDLEA, narrated how Kyari
and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested some drug traffickers who
arrived in the country from Ethiopia with 25kg of cocaine.
Babafemi alleged that Kyari and his team proposed to take
15kg of the seized cocaine for themselves.
Reacting to the allegation, the police, in a statement, said
they arrested Kyari and four officers for “tampering with narcotic exhibits and
unprofessional infractions”.
The police said investigation revealed that the
international drug cartel involved in the case has “strong ties” with some
NDLEA officers at Enugu Airport and asked the anti-drug agency to investigate
its officers.
In what appears to be a response to the police, the NDLEA,
in a statement on Wednesday, said the agency remains committed to
evidence-based investigation and it will not be deterred by “any
misrepresentation of facts”.
“To correct some
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 statement reads.
“The agency wishes to quote from the transcript of Abba Kyari’s
recorded conversation with our undercover officer and a portion of ASP James
Bawa’s statement to the police as documented in the police investigation
report, a copy of which was made available to the agency, to state 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.
“Recall that after NDLEA requested for Kyari and others for
interrogation, they were questioned by the police, after which they were handed
over along with the report of their interrogation.
“According to the police investigation report, ASP 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
on board 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.
“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.”
The development comes some months after the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) indicted Kyari of conspiring with Hushpuppi,
self-confessed international fraudster, in a $1.1 million scam.
The suspended police officer had denied the allegation,
claiming that his “hands are clean”.
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