How suspended police chief Abba Kyari received over N200m through multiple Bank Accounts – Witness tells Court

The trial of detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where an investigator from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed that Kyari received over N200 million through 10 different bank accounts.

Testifying before the court, Mr. Ahmed Yero, a Chief Investigator with the NDLEA, stated that the agency tracked Kyari’s bank transactions using his Bank Verification Number (BVN).

Although 12 bank accounts were linked to him, two were found to be dormant.

Yero, who appeared as the ninth prosecution witness, said he was directed on February 14, 2022, to investigate Kyari’s assets. During the probe, Kyari declared only three bank accounts, but investigations uncovered 10 active ones, including domiciliary accounts for Dollars, Euros, and Pound Sterling.

“One of the accounts is his salary account, which we examined over a 16-year period from 2006 to 2022. Our analysis showed that inflows into the account were far greater than his official entitlements from the police,” Yero testified.

He further disclosed that funds labeled as “operational funds” were wired from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into Kyari’s account, but significant portions were later transferred to family members and associates.

Kyari refused to submit a written statement to the NDLEA, opting instead to present his explanations in court. The prosecution submitted Kyari’s bank statements and BVN analysis as evidence, despite objections from his defense team, led by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).

During cross-examination, Yero acknowledged Kyari’s reputation as a “super cop” involved in high-profile crime-fighting operations but admitted that his team did not investigate the details of Kyari’s past operations or expenses incurred. He also confirmed that there is no law restricting individuals from owning multiple bank accounts.

Justice James Omotosho adjourned the trial to March 24, with the NDLEA indicating that it would present two more witnesses.

Kyari is facing multiple charges, including alleged attempts to conceal assets and tampering with seized cocaine alongside four members of his police team. The defendants have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody pending the trial’s conclusion.