A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, in the asset declaration case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to provide credible evidence linking Kyari and his brothers, Mohammed and Ali, to 14 properties and bank funds valued at more than ₦207 million and €17,598.
The court described the NDLEA’s case as “watery,” noting that no documentary evidence was presented to directly connect Kyari to the properties or funds in question.
Justice Omotosho stated that the assets were traced to the family of Kyari’s late father and were reportedly shared among about 30 siblings, weakening the prosecution’s claims that the properties belonged solely to the suspended police officer.
Kyari, once widely known as Nigeria’s “super cop” for his role in high-profile crime investigations, had been on bail since 2023 following his arraignment in the case.
While the ruling effectively clears him in the asset declaration matter, his suspension from the Nigeria Police Force remains in place. He is also still facing a separate drug-related trial.
The court’s decision has sparked mixed reactions, drawing celebration from his supporters while critics continue to question the broader circumstances surrounding the allegations against him.
