By Danjuma Amodu | March 5, 2026
A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari of a 23-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets brought by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). However, Kyari still faces a separate trial over alleged involvement in a cocaine deal.
Justice James Omotosho ruled that the prosecution failed to establish its case against Kyari and his two brothers, who were accused of swearing false affidavits to conceal the origin of some property allegedly linked to Kyari.
The judge noted that the prosecution did not present sufficient evidence to prove that the property cited in the charge belonged to Kyari.
Kyari has denied the allegations, claiming that the properties linked to him were inherited from his father. The trial for the cocaine trafficking case is ongoing.
Abba Kyari’s acquittal on asset declaration charges doesn’t mark the end of his legal troubles. He’s still facing trial for alleged involvement in a cocaine deal, with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) accusing him of tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and removing 17.55kg of it.
The trial has seen several developments, including a court admitting video evidence allegedly showing NDLEA officers aiding convicted drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, in beating security checks at Enugu International Airport.
Kyari’s lawyer has argued that the NDLEA must prove the amount of cocaine on the face of the charge, but the judge ruled that the law doesn’t require this. The court has ordered Kyari and his co-defendants to enter their defence, with the next hearing scheduled for May 21, 2026.
