Abba Kyari, suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, has been granted bail in the sum of N150 million by a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria. The charges against Kyari and his two siblings involve their alleged failure to declare assets to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This development comes after the court dismissed the bail application related to the primary charge of cocaine trafficking, for which Kyari remains in custody.
Hamza N. Dantani, one of Kyari’s lawyers, announced the court’s decision on the money laundering charges via his Facebook page, expressing gratitude. “Alhamudullhi! Abba Kyari’s Bail Granted by Federal High Court Abuja today,” he wrote.
The trial of Abba Kyari revolves around the confiscation of $61,400 in cash and a 25kg parcel of cocaine, believed to have been used as a bribe to influence NDLEA operatives. The agency alleges that Kyari attempted to bribe a senior officer with $61,400 at a restaurant in Abuja to avoid testing a portion of the seized cocaine, which was linked to individuals involved in drug trafficking.
In addition to the drug-related charges, Abba Kyari is currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States in connection with a fraud case involving Instagram celebrity Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Kyari’s arrest and subsequent detention date back to February 14, 2022, following his being declared wanted by the NDLEA due to alleged drug ties. Despite previous unsuccessful attempts to secure bail, the recent ruling offers a glimmer of hope for Kyari’s defense.