The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday, released video evidence showing the suspended head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari, in a drug deal.
The agency, via its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, had earlier declared Kyari wanted over suspected links with an international drug cartel.
The NDLEA said an investigation has revealed that Kyari is a member of a drug syndicate that operates across the globe.
Meanwhile, video evidence had surfaced showing Kyari in a vehicle with an unidentified adult male. The duo exchanged wads of cash after having a discussion allegedly related to the drug deal.
Kyari, afterwards stepped out of his business partner’s vehicle and proceeded to his own SUV.
The video was dated January 25, 2022, and was said to have been captured around 5:26 pm at Two4Seven Restaurant, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
Babafemi added: “You can see him after handing over the money, he headed to his own land cruiser jeep there.”
The shocking revelation comes amid the police chief’s controversial involvement with self-confessed Internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
In July 2021, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed how Kyari allegedly collaborated with Hushpuppi to jail one of the latter’s associates after a dispute over a $1.1 million scam on a Qatari businessman.
The FBI also alleged that the embattled social media celebrity sent money to Kyari via a third person’s bank account and hosted him in his Dubai apartment.
According to the US Department of Justice, a criminal complaint initiated the prosecution of Hushpuppi as court documents showed that Abbas, 37, pleaded guilty.
The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, had issued an arrest warrant against Kyari.
Hushpuppi has since pleaded guilty to the charges and if convicted risks a 20-year-jail term, three-year supervision upon completion of jail term, and monetary restitution to the tune of $500,000 or more.
The court documents also outlined a dispute among members of the Hushpuppi conspiracy, which allegedly prompted him to arrange to have an individual identified as ‘co-conspirator’ Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, jailed in Nigeria by DCP Kyari.
Following the allegations, the top detective was suspended and a panel was set up by the Inspector-General of Police to probe the FBI allegations.
But Kyari denied the allegations, claiming that his “hands are clean”.
