Abba Kyari, the former head of the Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team, IRT, begged an Abuja Federal High Court on Monday not to remand him in detention.
Kyari filed the appeal through his lawyer, Kanu Agabi, who asked the court to allow him to stay in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) custody awaiting the hearing and decision on his new bail application.
The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, submitted the appeal after pleading not guilty to an eight-count drug trafficking allegation brought by the NDLEA against him and six others.
Kyari was docked before Justice Emeka Nwike, alongside four other police officers, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.
Two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne were also docked alongside Kyari.
Whereas Kyari, dressed in blue native attire, and his police co-defendants, pleaded not guilty to the charge, the 6th and 7th defendants, Umeibe and Ezenwanne, pleaded guilty to allegations against them.
Shortly after the defendants entered their plea, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Joseph Sunday, applied for a trial date and for review of facts in respect of the Defendants that pleaded guilty to the charge.
The NDLEA equally told the court that it filed a counter-affidavit to oppose the release of Kyari and the other four former members of the Police IRT, on bail.
But Agabi, while arguing that the charge against his clients were bailable offences, he urged the court not to accede to request for facts in respect of Umeibe and Ezenwanne.
Agabi argued that it will be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and a decision reached, while the trial is still subsisting.
“It is not in the interest of justice for the facts to be reviewed while the trial is still ongoing”, he said.
He noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the others.
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