25kg cocaine probe: There’ll be no sacred cows- NDLEA
By Nnamdi Okosieme
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) on Wednesday assured Nigerians of its determination to pursue the case of the 25 kilogrammes deal involving suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Abba Kyari, to a logical conclusion.
The agency in a statement on Wednesday by Femi Babafemi, its Director of Media and Advocacy, said it had no reason to shield anyone who may be indicted in the course of the ongoing investigation as it remained committed to evidence based investigation noting that its resolve cannot be weakened by any misrepresentation of facts.
“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”, Babafemi said in the statement.
He stated that according to the police investigation report, ASP James Bawa in his statement to the police said he was called by an informant identified as IK from Brazil who told him that a drug courier wibe 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 NDLEA spokesman averred that in his own recorded conversation with its undercover officer, Abba Kyari also said the following:
“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. 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.
Babafemi said that Kyari responding to the NDLEA’s undercover officers question on whether his boys are usually stationed inside or outside the airport, 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 NDLEA spokesman said it was clear the explanation above establishes the mode of operations of the cartel and those they are dealing with adding that it will also help to correct misinformation being peddled in the public space concerning NDLEA’s attitude towards the investigation.
