The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has clarified that its substantive drug case against the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, remains ongoing and is scheduled to continue before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on March 16, 2026.
The Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted Kyari of 23 charges bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the NDLEA.
Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the judgment, held that the anti-narcotics agency failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish the allegations against Kyari and his two brothers, who were also arraigned in the charge for allegedly swearing false affidavits to conceal the origin of certain properties.
The judge held that the prosecution did not present credible materials linking Kyari to the landed properties said to be located at Fountain Estate, Kasana, which were alleged to belong to Ramatu Kyari.
According to the court, the prosecution equally failed to provide evidence connecting the suspended police officer to other properties said to be located on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, as well as in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Justice Omotosho noted that ownership of landed property could be established through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession or possession by connection, adding that none of these was presented by the prosecution to prove that the properties allegedly linked to Kyari were indeed owned by him.
Reacting to the ruling in an interview with The PUNCH, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated that the prosecution team would need to obtain the Certified True Copy of the judgment to know the details of the ruling and thereafter be guided on its next line of action.
He, however, noted that the ruling being referenced was separate from the substantive drug case currently before another judge.
Babafemi said, “First, I need to clarify that the ruling by Justice Omotosho is completely different from the main and substantive drug case, which continues before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, 16th March 2026.
“That one is very much on course. The case determined by Justice Omotosho today is a different case of money laundering and non-declaration of assets.
“Regarding whether the agency will appeal the ruling, the prosecution team has been directed to obtain a Certified True Copy of the judgment, the details of which will guide management in deciding the next course of action.”
The PUNCH reports that Kyari was prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over allegations that he concealed ownership of several properties and failed to fully declare his assets.
The anti-narcotics agency, in the 23-count charge filed before the Federal High Court, accused Kyari and his two brothers, Mohammed and Ali Kyari, of conspiring to disguise the ownership of properties and swearing false affidavits to conceal their origin.
According to the NDLEA, investigations allegedly traced about 14 assets, including shopping malls, residential estates, farmlands, parcels of land and a polo playground, to Kyari in Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State.
The agency also claimed it discovered about N207m and €17,598 in accounts allegedly linked to Kyari in some banks.
Kyari, however, denied the allegations, telling the court that some of the properties attributed to him belonged to his late father and were inherited by him and his siblings, while insisting that he had properly declared his assets.
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