The Federal High Court in Abuja, Wednesday, dismissed an application by a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari seeking to strike out charges against him.
The presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed the application on the ground that the court has the exclusive right and Jurisdiction to hear drug-related cases as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.
Kyari, formerly the head of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force, is being prosecuted by the NDLEA on eight counts bordering on conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences.
He was charged with the criminal offences alongside four other senior police officers – ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba, Inspector John Nuhu and two civilians before a Federal High Court in Abuja with conspiracy to deal in 17.55kg of cocaine.
They were also charged with dealing in cocaine without lawful authority; conspiracy to tamper with cocaine and unlawfully tampering with the 21.35kg of cocaine seized from two convicted drug dealers.