By Achile Danjuma
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has moved to correct public misconceptions surrounding the legal troubles of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, clarifying that the core drug trafficking charges against him remain very much alive.
The clarification comes in the wake of a ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which discharged Kyari from a separate 23-count charge related to money laundering and the alleged non-declaration of assets.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, stressed that the public should not conflate the two distinct legal proceedings. He explained that while the money laundering case was before Justice Omotosho, the primary drug case is being handled by a different judge.
“The ruling delivered by Justice Omotosho is entirely separate from the main and substantive drug case against Abba Kyari,” Babafemi said. “That drug case is very much on course and is scheduled to continue before Justice Emeka Nwite on 16 of March. The public should be very clear that these are two different matters.”
The anti-narcotics agency also outlined its next steps regarding the recent court ruling. According to the statement, the NDLEA’s legal team is awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment. A thorough review of the document will inform the agency’s decision on whether to file an appeal against the discharge from the money laundering charges.