Drug deal: Abba Kyari hires popular lawyer, Agabi to defend him

Abba Kyari, a suspended deputy commissioner of police and former leader of IGP Intelligence Response Team, IRT, has engaged a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi, to defend him in his drugs offences trial.

It was gathered that Mr Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the courtroom and took the front row seat, exclusively reserved for senior lawyers.

Mr Kyari and six other persons, who are being accused of illegal cocaine peddling, are expected to take their plea in an eight-count charge before Emeka Nwite, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday.

The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on February 28, filed an eight-count charge bordering on unlawfully dealing with and tampering with cocaine.

Mr Kyari and his alleged accomplices were ferried to the court at 8:12 a.m in a Black Hiace bus on Monday under tight security by NDLEA operatives.

The anti-narcotics agency also accused Mr Kyari, in a count which features only him as the sole defendant, of attempting to obstruct the NDLEA and its authorised officers by offering $61,400 to a senior anti-narcotics operative as an inducement to prevent the testing of the 17.55kg of cocaine.