Suspended police officer, DCP Abba Kyari
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and his two brothers in a 23-count charge filed against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Delivering judgment on March 5, 2026, the court held that the prosecution failed to establish its case against the defendants, ruling that the evidence presented did not sufficiently link Kyari to the properties cited in the charges.
The NDLEA had accused Kyari and his brothers of failing to declare certain assets, particularly landed properties, while also alleging conspiracy and the making of false affidavits to conceal the origin of the properties.
However, Justice Omotosho ruled that the agency did not present convincing proof to support the allegations. The judge described the evidence brought before the court as “watery,” noting that no documentary evidence or credible testimony connected the suspended police officer to the disputed properties.
Among the properties mentioned during the trial were parcels of land in Fountain Estate in Kasa, reportedly registered in the name of Ramatu Kyari, another located on Linda Chuko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, and others in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The court explained that ownership of landed property can be established through several legal means, including traditional history, valid title documents, acts of possession, or possession by a recognised connection. According to the judge, none of these forms of proof were provided by the prosecution.
In his defence, Kyari maintained that the properties located in Borno State belonged to his late father and were inherited jointly by him and his siblings.
Justice Omotosho also faulted the decision to include Kyari’s brothers in the conspiracy charges, describing the move as being made in bad faith and unsupported by evidence.
The judge further noted that the defendants had served the country in different capacities and should not be subjected to unjust persecution.
The ruling specifically addresses the allegations of non-declaration of assets and related financial offences brought by the NDLEA. Other legal matters involving Kyari, including the ongoing cocaine trafficking case, remain separate proceedings and may continue independently.
