By Muhammad Mamman
The Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended police chief Abba Kyari in a high-profile asset declaration case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), after ruling that prosecutors failed to present credible evidence.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the anti-narcotics agency could not substantiate a 23-count charge alleging non-declaration of assets, conspiracy and the swearing of false affidavits against Kyari and two of his brothers.
The judge described the prosecution’s case as “watery,” noting that no documentary evidence or credible proof was presented linking Kyari to the disputed properties cited in the charges.
The NDLEA had accused the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and his siblings of concealing ownership of several landed properties in Abuja and Borno State, including locations in Fountain Estate, Kasa, Linda Chuko Road in Asokoro and parts of Maiduguri.
However, the court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish ownership of the properties through any recognised legal means. Justice Omotosho explained that ownership of landed property could be proven through title documents, acts of possession, traditional history or possession through connection — none of which the agency provided.
During the trial, Kyari maintained that some of the properties in Borno State were inherited from his late father and jointly owned with members of his family.
The court also criticised the inclusion of Kyari’s brothers in the conspiracy charges, describing the move as being made in bad faith because the prosecution failed to show any evidence tying them to the alleged offences.
Justice Omotosho added that the defendants had served the country and should not be subjected to prosecution without solid proof.
The ruling effectively clears Kyari and his brothers of all allegations relating to asset declaration and financial misconduct brought by the NDLEA in the case.
However, legal observers note that the acquittal relates strictly to the asset declaration charges and does not automatically affect other proceedings previously linked to Kyari, including a separate drug-related case that has drawn national attention.
Kyari, once one of Nigeria’s most prominent police officers, rose to prominence for leading high-profile crime investigations before his suspension following a series of controversies that placed him under scrutiny.
