ABBA KYARI: NDLEA FILES 24 FRESH CHARGES, AND SEIZES KYARI’S MEGA ASSETS.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has filed a fresh 24-count charge against Abba Kyari, who was suspended from his position as the deputy commissioner of police.

Kyari is currently facing trial for dealing in cocaine, alongside four members of his former police unit as the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). Kyari was subjected to general and financial investigation when he was transferred by the police to the NDLEA headquarters on February 14 2022, for investigation.

The NDLEA accused Kyari of non-disclosure of assets which prompted the fresh suit that was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The charges date the 30th of August and were filed by NDLEA’s director of prosecution and legal services, Joseph Sunday.

On 30 August, the Federal High Court in Abuja declined the Nigerian government’s request to extradite Kyari to the US for fraud charges involving Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Abbas Ramon known as Hushpuppi.

The judge, Inyang Ekwo, refused the application because Kyari is being prosecuted by the Federal Government, a development that conflicts with Nigeria’s extradition law.

The suit which was filed by Joseph Sunday reflects that Abba Kyari refused to declare his ownership of some of his assets which include: a residential estate, farmland, shopping malls, a polo playground, and acres of land.

Following the suit, the charge shows that Kyari allegedly failed to make full disclosure of his asset at plot no. 1927 Blue Fountain Estate, Karsana, Abuja, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under section 35(3)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The charge further states that Kyari also failed to disclose his ownership of a shopping mall titled, NE/1229 and a polo playground with a plot no. 270, both located in Maiduguri.

Kyari was alleged to have deposed to an affidavit to hide his ownership of plot no 9, BOTP/63 covered by the grant of the right of occupancy no. BO/1087; a shopping mall at number 4, Aliyu Close along Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, covered by Certificate of Occupancy no. NE/1229.

Additionally, it states that Kyari also did not disclose his ownership of an estate at Linda Chalker Road, Asokoro Extension; plot no. 5 titled BO/4546; plot no. 9 titled BO/1037; plot no. 10 titled CER/4319 and plot no 33 titled BO/4319, Maiduguri, Borno State.

In an attempt to disguise the ownership of a plot of land covered by Certificate of Occupancy no: 000271 issued by Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Kyari was alleged to have also deposed to an affidavit at the Federal High Court, Maiduguri in suit number, FHC/NG/CS/9/2022, contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

Count 11 read, ‘’That you, DCP Abba Kyari, male, adult and you Mohammed Kyari, male, adult, on or about February 14, 2022, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court in order to disguise the true ownership of the property situate at plot no. 33, Bama Road, GRA Extension, Maiduguri, Borno State, covered by certificate no. BO/4319 issued by Borno State Government by deposing to a false affidavit at the Federal High Court in suit no. FHC/NG/Cs/9/2022 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, (as amended).’’

Also failed to be disclosed by the former IRT commander is the ownership of farmland along Abuja-Kaduna road and a plaza under construction in Guzape, Abuja.

The charges filed by the NDLEA further revealed that Kyari knowingly converted N28.4 million in his GTB account number 0121075250; N65.2 million in his GTB account number 0138360064; N95 million in UBA account number 1002250112 and N16.9 million in Sterling Bank account number 0072451994.

He has allegedly failed to declare in his assets declaration form, the sum of Є17,598 in two GTB accounts, being proceeds of unlawful activities; N2.9 million in UBA; N366, 258.77 and N88.000 in Sterling Bank.

Furthermore, the Federal Government also filed separate 24-count charges against Abba Kyari’s former deputy, Sunday Ubua, an assistant Commissioner of Police, who is currently under suspension.

Count one read, “That You, Sunday Ubua, male, adult, on or about the 14th day of February 2022, at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency headquarters, Port Harcourt Crescent, off Gombiya Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, knowingly failed to make full disclosure of your assets in the NDLEA assets declaration firm by not disclosing your N100 million life insurance policy with First Bank of Nigeria Insurance Limited contrary to and punishable under section 35(3)(a) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.’’

The NDLEA in the charges against Ubua with number FHC/ABJ/407/22 further stated that he refused to disclose a life insurance policy with First Bank of Nigeria Insurance Limited which costs 100 million naira, alongside millions of money stashed in various other bank accounts.

The prosecution further alleged that Ubua acquired a block of lock-up shops at Utako bus terminal, Abuja for N16.8 million and also converted N33 million and N227.5 million using First bank account number 2005502596. The defendant was further accused of converting N40.8 million and another N33.7 million.

In addition, the suit says that Ubua converted N118.6 million using First bank account 3018154763 and $30,516.36 using Polaris Bank account 2630046721.

He was accused of converting the sum of N40.8 million which are proceeds of unlawful activities into his Polaris Bank account number 1060047951, between January and March 2022.