Abba Kyari: NDLEA Reveals How Informants, Greed Exposed Drug Cartel

New details have surfaced about how informants alerted suspended DCP Abba Kyari and his crew about the 25kg of cocaine from Brazil, and how greed revealed the criminal deal.

Negotiations between the informants and Kyari and his crew had broken down.

The informants who uncovered the drug gang were unable to agree on a 60:40 split of the drug proceeds, with 60 percent going to Kyari and his boys and 40 percent going to the informants.

However, the informants insisted on a 50:50 split. The failure to reach an agreement exposes the entire scheme.

One kilogram of cocaine is worth N7 million on the street, while a 25kg bag is worth N175 million.

If the informants agreed to Kyari’s 60:40 split, the Deputy Commissioner of Police and his team would have received N105 million, while the informants would have received N70 million.

However, a 50:50 split means that each party will receive N87.5 million.

It was expected that Kyari and his colleagues would sell. He later sold 5kg and delivered $61,400 to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s undercover commander (NDLEA).

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disagreed with the Police that NDLEA officers at the Enugu International Airport provided cover and approval for the drug traffickers.

The NDLEA stated that it sees no need to protect anyone who may be charged in connection with the ongoing investigation into the 25kg cocaine sale.

According to him, “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.”

Shortly after the NDLEA declared Kyari wanted, Babafemi said, the police questioned him and others, 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.”

The embattled Abba Kyari, according to NDLEA, also shed light on the process in his recorded conversation with the undercover anti-drug officer. He said: “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.”

Responding to NDLEA’s question on whether his boys are usually stationed inside or outside the airport, Abba Kyari reportedly 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 “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.”