COCAINE DEAL: We’ve no reason to shield anyone – NDLEA

*Reveals more details on drug deal

*Says drug mules contacted Abba Kyari’s men its officers

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said that it has no reason to shield anyone who may be indicted in the course of the ongoing investigation of a 25kg cocaine deal involving a gang headed by Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, who has been on suspension for his alleged involvement in a different fraud case being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

The Agency, in a statement issued in Abuja by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER on Wednesday 16 February 2022, said it remains committed to evidence based investigation and that its resolve cannot be weakened by any misrepresentation of facts.

The NDLEA’s Spokesman was reacting to the Nigerian Police Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi’s statement earlier on Monday, which said that the police investigation had established that the international narcotics cartel involved in the case had “strong ties” with some officers of the anti-drug Agency at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, who were said to be on their payroll.

The DEFENDER reports that the two arrested drug couriers, according to the police spokesman, had confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification, seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked.

“The two arrested drug couriers also confirmed that they have been enjoying this relationship with the NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since 2021 and had in this instant case of 19th January 2022, been identified and cleared by the NDLEA officers as customary, having received their pre-departure photographs and other details prior to their arrival in Enugu, and were on their way out with the narcotics when they were apprehended by the police,” Adejobi recounted.

In addition, the police spokesman said the IGP has formally requested the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to ensure the identification, arrest, and investigation of the anti-drug agency’s officers found to be colluding with the international drug cartel involved in the case.

The NDLEA, however, provided what it described as the correct information to counter what is available in the public.

“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 Kyari’s recorded conversation with our undercover officer and a portion of ASP James Bawa’s statement to the police as documented in the police investigation report, a copy of which was made available to the Agency, to state that it’s an established fact that it’s the Abba Kyari’s team that was contacted by the cartel and without doubt the records clearly show how their ring works,” Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Spokesman said.

Going further, the statement recalled that after the 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.

According to the police investigation report, ASP James Bawa in his statement to the police reveals that “he was called by an informant identified as IK from Brazil who told him that a drug courier will be 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.”

Babafemi said in his own recorded conversation with NDLEA’s 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 Kyari’s 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.”

The NDLEA’s Spokesman, Babafemi, said it was while responding to his officer’s question on whether his boys are usually stationed inside or outside the airport that Abba Kyari 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.”

Concluding the NDLEA said: “The above no doubt establishes who the cartel was relating with and their modus operandi. Again, this is to correct inaccuracies in some reports and assure that the Agency will not deviate from an evidence-based investigation that will spare nobody found complicit.”