Federal High Court Clears Abba Kyari of Asset Declaration Charges; NDLEA Prepares for Ongoing Drug Trafficking Trial
The Federal High Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, of a 23-count charge related to alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
However, the narcotics agency stated that the court’s ruling would not affect its ongoing drug trafficking trial against Kyari.
In an earlier case, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the NDLEA failed to provide enough evidence to support the allegations against Kyari and his two brothers, who were also charged with allegedly swearing false affidavits to hide the source of certain properties.
The judge found that the prosecution did not present credible evidence linking Kyari to properties at Fountain Estate, Kasana, claimed to belong to Ramatu Kyari.
According to the court, the prosecution also failed to produce evidence connecting the suspended officer to properties on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, and in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Justice Omotosho noted that land ownership could be proven through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession, or possession by connection. The prosecution did not provide any of these to establish Kyari’s ownership of the properties.
Kyari’s defense stated that the Maiduguri properties belonged to his late father and were inherited by him and his siblings, a claim the prosecution did not dispute.
The judge criticized the conspiracy charges against Kyari’s brothers, noting that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations and appeared to have charged them in bad faith.
Justice Omotosho concluded that the NDLEA’s case lacked merit and discharged Kyari and the other defendants on all 23 counts.
Following the ruling, the NDLEA clarified that its main drug trafficking case against Kyari remains active.
The agency announced that the drug-related prosecution will continue before Justice Emeka Nwite in Abuja on Monday, 16 March 2026.
NDLEA emphasized that this clarification is necessary because Justice Omotosho’s decision pertains to a different case and should not be mistaken for the drug trafficking charges.
In response to inquiries, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated that the prosecution team has been instructed to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment before deciding the next step.
He stressed that Justice Omotosho’s ruling is entirely separate from the pending drug case before Justice Nwite.
