HURIWA Alleges Coordinated Plot to Undermine Abba Kyari's Drug Trafficking Trial
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a stark warning to the Nigerian public and the international community regarding an alleged orchestrated campaign of calumny and deliberate misinformation. This campaign, according to the group, is being spearheaded by the handlers of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, who is currently facing trial for serious drug trafficking offences.
Call for Judicial Resilience and Media Integrity
In a recent statement, HURIWA urgently called upon the Nigerian judiciary to remain steadfast and undeterred by what it describes as subterranean moves designed to blackmail and intimidate the prosecution team. The group emphasized the critical need for the media to uphold the highest standards of professionalism. It urged journalists to meticulously verify any claims against official court transcripts before amplifying narratives that could potentially shield alleged drug kingpins from accountability.
Exposing Fabricated Reports and Witness Coercion
HURIWA's National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, provided a detailed account based on the association's investigation. He stated that recent sponsored reports circulating on social media, which allege that two convicted drug traffickers have implicated officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in complicity, are a complete fabrication. Onwubiko described these reports as a clumsy and transparent attempt to subvert the course of justice.
Our findings, backed by official court records and witness statements, revealed a starkly different reality from the narrative being pushed by Kyari's camp, Onwubiko asserted. He clarified that the convicted traffickers, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, have explicitly denied any contact or collusion with NDLEA officers at the Enugu airport in January 2022 in their official witness statements.
Instead, the convicts confessed that their pictures and travel details were sent directly to Abba Kyari. Despite being on suspension at the time due to another criminal case for which the United States government is seeking his extradition, Kyari allegedly dispatched a team from Abuja to Enugu to intercept the traffickers for his own purposes. The convicts have stated on record that while in Kyari's custody, they were forced under duress to falsely indict the NDLEA, Onwubiko explained. He further revealed that the video confession currently being circulated was scripted, with Kyari's men actively dictating the suspects' statements during the recording.
Overwhelming Evidence and International Scrutiny
HURIWA reminded the public that no amount of digital manipulation or spin can erase the overwhelming evidence already admitted as exhibits in court. The group highlighted the existence of a video showing Abba Kyari handing over $61,400 to an NDLEA undercover agent. This cash was established to be proceeds from the sale of part of the cocaine seized by Kyari's team from the same convicts now being used as pawns in the alleged smear campaign.
It is pathetic that a high-ranking officer would resort to such low-level blackmail, Onwubiko commented. This is a clear attempt to distract the public from the gravity of the drug trafficking charges. The U.S. government and the global community are watching this case closely. You cannot 'spin' your way out of a forensic sting operation.
For public clarity, HURIWA referenced the court-admitted transcript of a conversation between Abba Kyari and an NDLEA undercover agent. This transcript, according to the group, clearly confirms the transactional relationship and conspiracy between Kyari and members of the drug trafficking cartel. The association added that court records leave no doubt: pictures of the convicts were taken by cartel members at the Addis Ababa airport and sent to Abba Kyari to enable him to identify the couriers. This, HURIWA concluded, is the sole reason his officers were able to selectively pick out the two couriers from the multitude of people at the airport's car park.
