Former Head of the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and Deputy Police Commissioner, Abba Kyari, has been arrested by the Nigerian police, alongside four others on Monday, according to Punch.
DCP Kyari was arrested hours after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency declared him wanted over alleged illegal drug links.
A senior police officer at the Force headquarters told Punch that Kyari was arrested and handcuffed like any other suspect.
“He has been arrested. He was handcuffed and will be handed over to the appropriate agency. He was not given any preferential treatment,” the police officer said.
When contacted, the new spokesperson for the Force, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also confirmed Kyari’s arrest.
Adejobi, however, did not give details, saying that a press release would be issued soon.
When asked to confirm Kyari’s arrest, Adejobi replied, “Yes and four others. A statement will be issued soon.”
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, had at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, chronicled how Kyari belonged to a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline.
The anti-drug agency said Kyari contacted one of its officers in Abuja and struck a deal to secure the release of a total of 25kg seized cocaine.
Babafemi said: “After the Agency gave the officer the green light to play along, he and Kyari began a WhatsApp call for the rest of the day. The officer conveyed “their” willingness to play the game.”
“He (Kyari) brought with him the money from the sale of the 5kg share of the NDLEA team, a total of $61,400. Our officer, however, preferred to take the money inside his car. Well, the car was wired with sound and video recorders. And the moment was documented, part of which I will play for you at the end of this briefing.
“We have a trove of intelligence, hard facts, from chats to photos and video and a detailed transcript of the communication between him and the NDLEA officer,” NDLEA spokesperson said.
The suspended DCP is also under investigation after the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America indicted him in the case of fraud involving Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.