HURIWA accuses Abba Kyari’s Legal team of spreading falsehoods to obstruct justice
By: Zagazola Makama
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and his team of orchestrating a deliberate campaign of misinformation to subvert justice in his ongoing drug trafficking trial.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said recent reports circulating on social media, claiming that two convicted drug traffickers had implicated officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), were false and intended to mislead the public.
HURIWA stated that official court records and witness statements from the convicts, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, show that they had no contact or collusion with NDLEA officers at Enugu Airport in January 2022.
The statement said that pictures and travel details of the traffickers were sent to Kyari, who, despite being under suspension and facing extradition to the United States, dispatched his team to intercept the suspects.
The group added that while in Kyari’s custody, the traffickers were allegedly coerced into making statements against NDLEA officers, and the videos being circulated were scripted under the supervision of Kyari’s men.
HURIWA cited evidence already admitted in court, including a video showing Kyari handing over $61,400 to an NDLEA undercover agent, described as proceeds from the sale of seized cocaine. The organisation also referenced witness statements from the convicts detailing how Kyari’s team identified and intercepted them at Enugu Airport after receiving information from the cartel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The group called on the Nigerian judiciary to remain steadfast and urged media outlets to verify claims against official court transcripts before reporting, warning that false narratives cannot erase evidence of criminality.
HURIWA emphasised that the prosecution’s case, supported by documented evidence of bribery and breach of public trust, remains intact.
