By TAIYE AGBAJE

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, ordered the transfer of suspended DCP Abba Kyari to Kuje Correction Centre.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after Kyari’s bail application and his co-defendants were rejected by the court.

Justice Nwite, who turned down the bail plea of the four of the Kyari’s colleagues in the Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police, also ordered them to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four suspended officers are ACP Sunday Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

The judge, however, ordered Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, the two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, to be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th. Defendants respectively, had pleaded guilty to five, six and seven counts preferred against them.

Although their names were also mentioned in counts three and four where allegations bordering on conspiracy were leveled against Kyari and others, they were not asking to take a plea on these two counts.

Justice Nwite, in a ruling, held that the the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had placed sufficient evidence before the court to refuse the bail request.

Justice Nwite also rejected bail plea of Kyari’s co-defendants.

NAN reports that counsel for the NDLEA, Joseph Sunday, in a counter affidavit, had said that it would be inappropriate to grant bail to Kyari because of the facts and circumstances of the case.

The anti-narcotic agency described Kyari as “a flight risk.”

It argued that if granted bail, the suspended DCP might jump bail.

The agency, who said the applicant might interfere with the evidence if granted bail, urged the court to dismiss Kyari’s bail plea.

It argued that the medical challenges of the applicant were not beyond the capacity of the agency’s medical personnel.

The judge, in the ruling, aligned with NDLEA’s arguments and dismissed the request.

He also ordered accelerated trial of the matter.

NAN reports that Kyari was, on March 7, arraigned alongside four of his colleagues as 1st to 5th defendants in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/57/2022.

The five police officers were arraigned alongside Umeibe and Ezenwanne on charges bordering on alleged conspiracy, obstruction and dealings in cocaine worth 17.55 kilograms.

Also after taking arguments from Kanu Agabi, SAN, counsel for Kyari, and other defendants’ lawyers, including lawyer to NDLEA, Sunday, who is director of Legal and Prosecution Department, the judge adjourned the matter until April 28 for ruling on review of facts in the case of the two defendants who pleaded guilty to the charge. (NAN)

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