By Paul Michael, Defence Editor, Abuja.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) has denied claims by the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, that some of its officers have links with the drug cartel in the ongoing Abba Kyari’s 25kg cocaine probe.
The Trumpet recalls that NDLEA had earlier declared Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari and five other police officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) wanted for their alleged involvement in a 25kg drug trafficking case and their refusal to honour the invitation of the Agency for questioning.
In what seems like a counter-attack, the Police while handing over Kyari and four others to the NDLEA for further investigation, also indicted some unnamed NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, alleging that the officers are on the pay roll of the drug cartel for always giving them (drug cartel) a “seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with narcotics trafficked.”
The IGP therefore, demanded that the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), should name, arrest and investigate the officers fingered on the ongoing drug saga.
Responding to the claims, the NDLEA said that the information given by the Police were inaccurate, adding that contrary to the erroneous claims that some of its officers were involved in clearing the drug traffickers, the job was solely done by DCP Kyari and his team.
NDLEA in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said it remains committed to evidence based investigation, noting that its resolve cannot be “weakened by any misrepresentation of facts”. The Agency vowed not to shield anyone in the ongoing probe.
The statement reads, “To correct some inaccuracies in the information in the public space that NDLEA officers at the Enugu airport were the ones who received from the cartel details about the mule coming from Addis Ababa, the Agency wishes to quote from the transcript of Abba Kyaris recorded conversation with our undercover officer and a portion of ASP James Bawas statement to the police as documented in the police investigation report, a copy of which was made available to the Agency, to state that its an established fact that its the Abba Kyaris team that was contacted by the cartel and without doubt the records clearly show how their ring works.
“Recall that after NDLEA requested for Kyari and others for interrogation, they were questioned by the police, after which they were handed over along with the report of their interrogation.
“According to the police investigation report, ASP James Bawa in his statement to the police reveals that he was called by an informant identified as IK from Brazil who told him that a drug courier will be arriving on board Ethiopian Airlines in Enugu. He explained further that a pointer from IK, the Brazil-based informant met with him at about 1420hrs on 19th January 2022 outside the airport and showed him a picture of the courier.
“Subsequently, they sighted the suspect as he exited the airport terminal after all arrival clearance formalities, and he was arrested with another associate.”
The statement further revealed that Kyari, in a recorded conversation with NDLEA undercover officer, said: “They are greedy, seriously greedy (referring to his informants), we tried to have them accept 40% but they refused, except 50%, they know the rudiment of the deal very well, they are the ones that do the packing. From Brazil, one of the informants accompanied it to Ethiopia. You understand; one of the informants accompanied the goods to Ethiopia, one of the informants that give us information. He is the boy of the big baron.
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“Addis, from Addis it will be given to those to proceed further with it, he will get their snapshots without their knowledge. Yes, he will reveal those that are conveying it further, get snapshots of theirs without their knowledge and send to us (Abba Kyaris team). So we already know the goods, picture and the cloths they are wearing, hope you understand, we know your name, he will give us everything. So, automatically my team will just be waiting, they will just see you and arrest you.”
Femi further added that while responding to NDLEA officers question on whether his boys are usually stationed inside or outside the airport, Abba Kyari said, “Yes, yes, some are outside while some are inside. They will just allow you to finish arrival formalities and arrest you the moment you come out.”
The statement concluded that Kyari’s statement and that of Bawa “no doubt establishes who the cartel was relating with and their modus operandi.”
The Agency assured that the it will not deviate from an evidence-based investigation that will spare nobody found complicit.
