The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, fixed 26 February 2026 for judgement in the non-declaration of assets case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NDLEA is prosecuting Mr Kyari, a former head of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), alongside his two younger brothers – Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari.
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Mr Kyari also faces cocaine dealing trial alongside some police officers in a separate ongoing proceeding before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Trial judge James Omotosho fixed the date for judgement in the non-declaration of assets after counsel for the parties presented their final arguments in the case.
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NDLEA, the prosecuting agency, was represented by Sunday Joseph; Mr Kyari was represented by Onyechi Ikpeazu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and the two other Kyari brothers by Monjok Agom.
Undeclared assets charges
In the 23 counts filed against the defendants, NDLEA, the anti-narcotics agency alleged that Mr Kyari and his two younger brothers failed to make full disclosure of their assets.
It said it uncovered 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estate, polo playground, lands and farmland belonging to Mr Kyari.
NDLEA also accused the police officer of failing to disclose his ownership of the property in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The NDLEA alleged that over N207 million and Є17, 598 were also discovered in Mr Kyari’s various accounts in Guarantee Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Sterling Bank.
The defendants, the prosecution alleged, disguised Mr Kyari’s “ownership of properties and conversion of monies.”
The NDLEA said the offences are punishable under Section 35 (3) (a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, and Section 15 (3) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
The NDLEA called 10 witnesses to prove it’s case and tendered at least 20 exhibits.
Mr Kyari, however, chose to make a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case. He argued, through his lawyer, that the prosecution failed to provide evidence showing indeed that he was the owner of the said property.
But the trial judge, Mr Omotosho, on 28 October, dismissed the no-case submission and ruled that the defendants had a case to answer.
He ruled that the prosecution was able to establish a prima facie case against the defendants, hence, the need for them to open their defence to clarify some of the issues.
Defence
Mr Kyari subsequently opened his defence on 4 November, insisting that he declared his assets and that of his wife in line with the law.
Besides, he denied ownership of some of the assets linked to him by the NDLEA.
He clarified that some of the property listed by the prosecution belonged to his late father, who had about 30 children.
He also refuted the allegations that he owned the polo playground in Borno State, saying he was surprised that the large expanse of land would be linked to him.
NAN reports that Mr Kyari, on 26 November, closed his defence after he concluded his evidence led by his lawyer and was cross-examined by the prosecution.
However Mr Kyari’s two brothers (Mohammed and Ali), through their lawyer, Monjok Agom, told the court that they would not be calling any witness.
The defendants opted to rest their case on the prosecution’s case.
Cocaine trial ongoing
NAN reports that the case is different from the cocaine dealing trial he is undergoing alongside some police officers before another Federal High Court judge Emeka Nwite in Abuja.
However, both cases were instituted by the NDLEA in 2022.
The assets declaration case is an offshoot of the NDLEA’s investigation into the cocaine dealing involving Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who were arrested at Enugu airport.
NDLEA alleged that the police officers tampered with seized narcotics and attempted to bribe its officials to cover up the deal. The case is before Judge Nwite.
While investigating the trafficking case, the NDLEA said it uncovered several assets and funds allegedly linked to Mr Kyari and his associates that were not declared in his official records.
In April this year, Judge Nwite dismissed the no-case submission filed by Mr Kyari and his co-defendants in the main drug-trafficking case and ordered them to open their defence.
The court already, in June 2022, convicted and sentenced two of their co-defendants who pleaded guilty to the drugs charges.
(NAN)
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