A human rights group, Centre For Democracy and Human Rights, CEDEHUR, has urged President Bola Tinubu to look at the antecedents of erstwhile Head of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, of the Nigerian Police Force, Abba Kyari and free him from his prolonged detention.
Kyari has been in detention over alleged drug deals, an allegation he has denied.
He is currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja, over charges brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
CEDEHUR in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Azeez Folusho, lauded Kyari for his exploits against kidnappers and terrorists, especially the Offa bank robbers who he led his team to arrest some years ago.
The robbers were recently sentenced to death.
The Offa bank robbery occurred in Kwara State on April 5, 2018, claiming 31 lives altogether and is the deadliest robbery incident in Nigerian history.
“The arrest, prosecution and sentencing to death of five Offa robbery gangs would have been a mirage without the absolute commitment, uncommon ingenuity and supersonic intelligence of the Nigerian Super Cop, Abba Kyari who’s currently incarcerated on trumped up charges,” the group said.
The group explained that following the incident, the former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, directed Abba Kyari, to relocate to Offa and lead the investigation.
The statement added: “Kyari, ever ready to serve his fatherland, immediately obeyed the call of duty,” the group said.
“Abba Kyari, then an Assistant Commissioner of Police and head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, arrived in Offa town with his team to assess the situation and track down the perpetrators. As usual he followed up the case with doggedness and calculated use of advanced technology in getting the deadly armed robbers arrested.
“The police team led by Kyari were able to arrest 12 additional suspects in connection with the robbery, recovering items such as handsets, iPads, and SIM cards belonging to the victims.
“Some of the suspects arrested included Adegoke Shogo, Kayode Opadokun, Kazeem Abdulrasheed, Azeez Abdullahi, and Alexander Reuben, among others. The police also recovered firearms and ammunition from the suspects.
“It is soul lifting that, on Thursday a Kwara State High Court sentenced the five suspects to death by hanging for their role in the infamous bank robbery. The convicted suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham, were found guilty of armed robbery, culpable homicide, and illegal possession of firearms.
“The suspects also made off with 21 brand new AK-47 rifles from the police station’s armoury in the devastating attack, which claimed the lives of nine policemen and several civilians during the daring robbery that targeted at least five commercial banks in Offa town.
“The judge, Justice Haleemah Salman, handed down the sentence after a three-and-a-half-hour judgment, in which he also imposed a three-year prison sentence for illegal possession of firearms. The prosecution views this verdict as a closure for the victims’ families and a deterrent to potential criminals.”
The group noted, “As this sentence marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their loved ones, the Nigerian state needs to revisit Abba Kyari’s case and acquit him of the unfounded allegations levelled against.
“It has been proven repeatedly that the then Deputy Commissioner of Police is merely a victim of media trial before the actual judicial trial upon which the judges have been adjudicating over trumped up charges.”
The group stated that Kyari’s alleged link with Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, alias Hushpuppi has been dismissed by the Federal High Court 5 on 29/8/2022.
“The Nigeria Police Force and the Presidency at this crucial moment of overwhelming security challenges need the services of Abba Kyari to step in and arrest the drift and revamp the almost collapsed and overwhelmed security architecture.
“Keeping our best hands away in prison custody on grounds of unproven allegations while the nation groans under insecurity and citizens’ blood flowing from bandits’ daily senseless attacks is a complete embrace for the looming anarchy.
“Leadership is about taking a hard decision and in Abba Kyari’s case, it’s an easy decision to make – that the country’s best hands should lead the fight against threats. The last thing the country needs now is the increasing budget on insecurity in the absence of resources yet in the presence of people like Abba Kyari who can simply solve the problems.”
Listing some of Kyari’s achievements, the group urged Tinubu to release him from detention.
“This is therefore a call to President Bola Tinubu to act and act fast. Your administration will be judged by key problems, top of which is insecurity, which has worsened and impacted so badly on the economy and general life of the citizens.
“The President has the time to do it right and now. Otherwise history would not be so kind,” the statement added.