Abba Kyari Received Over N200m Through 10 Bank Accounts – Witness
The trial of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, over allegations of asset concealment continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, where a prosecution witness revealed details of financial transactions linked to him.
The witness, Ahmed Yero, a Chief Investigator with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), testified that Kyari was found to have 10 active bank accounts despite declaring only three.
According to him, investigations conducted using Kyari’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) uncovered multiple accounts, including domiciliary accounts for different currencies.
“One of the accounts is a salary account from which the 1st defendant collected salaries and other allowances from the police,” Yero told the court.
He explained that a review of Kyari’s United Bank for Africa (UBA) salary account over a 16-year period revealed deposits exceeding his legitimate police earnings.
The witness also stated that funds tagged as “operational funds” were transferred from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into Kyari’s account, with large amounts later moved to his family members and associates.
“What we also did was to calculate everything the defendant earned in salaries and everything that came into the account from the CBN.
We discovered that there was over N200 million, above what he should have earned officially.”
Kyari refused to provide a written statement to NDLEA investigators, insisting that he would explain himself in court.
During proceedings, the court admitted Kyari’s bank statements and BVN analysis as evidence, despite objections from his legal team, led by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN.
His lawyers reserved their arguments on the documents’ admissibility for a later stage of the trial.
Under cross-examination, Yero acknowledged Kyari’s reputation as a “super-cop” and admitted that his role involved major operations across Nigeria.
However, he said investigators did not examine how many operations Kyari conducted or the expenses involved.
The witness added that while Kyari declared some properties in Maiduguri, Borno State, he did not disclose all his assets.
Kyari claimed that some properties belonged to his late father or his wife.
Yero also confirmed that there is no law restricting individuals from owning multiple bank accounts.
Justice James Omotosho adjourned the case to March 24, with the NDLEA planning to present two more witnesses.
Earlier in the hearing, a Compliance Officer from Sterling Bank, David Ajoma, submitted three bundles of documents, including a statement from one of Kyari’s accounts.
Kyari, along with his brothers Mohammed and Ali Kyari, is facing a 10-count charge related to asset concealment.
Additionally, he is being prosecuted on an eight-count charge over allegations that his Intelligence Response Team (IRT) tampered with seized cocaine at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
He is on trial alongside four IRT officers—ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba, and Inspector John Nuhu.
All the defendants have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
