Abba Kyari gets bail after 27 months in detention

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the former commander of the Force Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, two weeks’ bail after 27 months in detention.

Kyari is expected to conclude his mother, Yachilla Kyari’s burial rites.

The court subsequently set Friday, May 31, for the determination of his bail application in the trial over drug-related charges filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency following his arrest over two years ago on February 14, 2022.

Recall that the mother died in the early hours of Sunday, May 5, 2024, and was survived by 10 children (five males and five females), including Abba, who is the eldest son.

While Abba Kyari was not able to attend his mother’s burial, residents of Borno State turned out in large numbers to pay their respects to Yachilla, who was buried according to Islamic rites the same day.

In 2022, the Police Service Commission suspended Kyari and two senior police officers — Sunday Ubua and James Bawa — named in a cocaine deal involving the suspended deputy commissioner of police.

“The Police Service Commission has suspended assistant commissioner of police, ACP Sunday Ubua and assistant superintendent of police, ASP James Bawa from the exercise of the powers and functions of their respective Offices with effect from Monday, 14th February 2022,” the PSC said in a statement.

The NDLEA had also declared Kyari wanted over alleged links with an international drug cartel.

Femi Babalola, spokesperson for the NDLEA, alleged that Kyari and his Intelligence Response Team arrested some drug traffickers who arrived in the country from Ethiopia with 25kg of cocaine but took 15kg of the seized substance for themselves.