News

Abba Kyari: Why We Opted For Behind Closed-door Trial – NDLEA

Published

3 years ago

May 17, 2023

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Tuesday, gave reasons it resorted to the trial of the suspended DCP Abba Kyari and his co-defendants behind closed doors.

Counsel for the NDLEA, Mr Sunday Joseph, told newsmen who were barred from covering the sitting shortly after the case was adjourned by Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court, Abuja.

Joseph, who said there was security concern about the trial, said the class of witnesses brought to court were undercover witnesses who needed to be protected.

“You see, some of these trials where there are security concerns and then we agreed among the lawyers; both myself and the defendants.

“These are class of witnesses that needed to be protected; they are undercover witnesses,” he said.

When asked whether such an act would not prevent the public from knowing what transpired in court, he said: “That is why, you know I don’t grant press interviews.

“That is why I made an exception to tell you,” he said.

On what happened in the courtroom, Joseph, a director of the Legal and Prosecution Department of the NDLEA, said the testimony of an additional witness was taken.

The lawyer said bank documents he sought to be tendered as exhibits were opposed to by the defendants and he responded.

“So ruling of the court is reserved on the admissibility of the evidence we sought to tender to 9 June,” he said.

Mr Michael Mbanefo, the lawyer to the 3rd defendant (ASP Bawa James), also told newsmen that evidence of one of the witnesses was taken “but it was scuttled by the documents they wanted to tender which we opposed vehemently. So the case adjourned for a ruling.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that journalists were restrained from covering the trial of Kyari and his co-defendants, following the NDLEA’s application to the effect.

Besides, other lawyers, whose matters were listed on the cause list, were also directed to leave the courtroom for Kyari’s case.

Shortly after the NDLEA’s lawyer made the application, Justice Nwite stood down the hearing to allow lawyers, litigants, visitors, and journalists to move out of the courtroom.

The registrar then announced to lawyers, who had no business in Kyari’s case to step forward and take another date for their cases.

The development generated provocation from lawyers who waited until the judge reconvened.

When Justice Nwite sat to commence proceedings, one of the lawyers, Emmanuel Oluwabiyi, whose case was on number 11 on the cause list, told Nwite that he was in the court for his matter.

Oluwabiyi said he observed that before the judge rose, counsel for the NDLEA made an application.

“I understand that it was directed that everybody in the courtroom should step out because of the instant matter. The bar is also meant to be vacated.

“The feedback I am getting is that when this matter is going to be made, no lawyer should be in
“I am embarrassed by the application my lord,” he said.

Another lawyer, Mr Ramiah Imhanaede, also aligned with Oluwabiyi’s submission.

Justice Nwite then pleaded with lawyers who were not in Kyari’s matter to bear with the court in the interim.
He said their matters too would be heard as soon as the hearing was over.

NAN reports that Kyari and other police officers, who are on suspension, are being charged by the anti-narcotic agency on allegations bordering on tampering and dealing with part of the 21.8 kilogrammes of cocaine recovered from two convicts.

The four accused police officers include ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirigba and Inspector John Nuhu are listed as 2nd to 5th defendants respectively.

The NDLEA accused the police officers, who had been on suspension pending the hearing and determination of the matter, of alleged compromise.

They were arraigned alongside Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who conspired with some other persons (now at large), to traffic the hard drugs into the country.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne were said to have been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu by the Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by Kyari based on their suspicious trafficking in hard drugs.

The suspects were subsequently brought to Abuja and handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation.

Although the two suspects pleaded guilty to the counts preferred against them bordering on the importation of 21.35kg of cocaine into the country, the police officers on trial pleaded not guilty to all the counts against them.

The court, on June 14, 2022, convicted and sentenced Umeibe and Ezenwanne to two years imprisonment.

News

MOWAA Authorities Shun Edo Assembly Committee, Give Reason

Published

8 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Authorities of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) on Monday refused to appear before the Edo State House of Assembly Ad hoc Committee which was set up to investigate its operations and funding.

Recall that Governor Monday Okpebholo, had last month, asked the Assembly to determine the stake of the state government having committed N3.3bn and true ownership of MOWAA.

At the resumed sitting of the Committee on Monday, MOWAA, in a letter by its lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, said it earlier informed the Committee that it would be sub judice for it to attend the public hearing due to the pendency of the same matter before the Federal High Court, Benin City.

In the letter, MOWAA informed the Committee that other committees of the Federal Government and the House of Representatives have been constituted to look into the same issues.

The letter said documents it previously submitted to the Assembly showed that everything about MOWAA was genuine and transparent.

MOWAA, in the documents it submitted, said, “No funds from any international institution had been received for the building of MOWAA until after it was very clear what MOWAA was and was not.

“All funding was received subsequent to the time in the middle of 2021 that it was clear to potential donors that there would be two separate organisations one focused on Benin heritage art and another on modern and contemporary, broader West African art and research/education.

“Funding from the German Government did not come until the end of 2022 – a year and a half after the Palace disassociated itself from MOWAA. The fact that there would be two separate museums was communicated to the Benin Dialogue Group (the European museums) in the meetings of October, 2021 at the London meeting and again in Hamburg in the meetings of March 2023, and further confirmed in writing to all Benin Dialogue Group members approximately two years ago when MOWAA formally withdrew from the group meetings.”

Speaking before the Committee, the state Accountant General, Julius Oseimen Anelu, said N3.8bn was released for the building of MOWAA between 2022 and 2024.

He said funding for MOWAA by the Edo State Government was appropriated in the budget.

He said the $18m from donors did not enter the state’s coffers.

On his part, the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, who was represented by Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, accused former Governor Godwin Obaseki of making efforts to hijack the processes of the returned artefacts.

He accused former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and a former Director General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Albert Tijani, of fighting the Palace to defend the actions of the Legacy Restoration Trust (LRT).

Oba Ewuare II said the LRT was used to solicit funds abroad using his name.

The Benin Monarch said the Federal Government gazette, which recognised him as the custodian of the returned artefacts, made the LRT promoters realise that they were fighting a lost battle.

Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Hon Ade Isibor, expressed shock at the action of MOWAA.

News

He Can’t Fix His Party Let Alone Nigeria – Oshiomhole Blasts Atiku

Published

8 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

The lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking in an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST on Monday, Oshiomhole alleged that Atiku, who cannot fix his party, cannot fix Nigeria’s problems.

His comment comes after Atiku officially joined the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

News

Gov Mohammed Flags Off Construction Of 203.47-kilometre Rural Roads

Published

11 hours ago

November 24, 2025

Editor

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has flagged off the construction of 203.47-kilometre rural roads in the state.

Speaking during the flagging off of the roads in Gamawa Local Government Area of the state on Monday, Mohammed said the road construction would be carried out with the Federal Government intervention under its Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Programme (RAAMP).

According to him, the roads represented more than physical infrastructure but symbolises his administration’s vision of Bauchi state where no community was left behind, where development was fair and balanced and driven by the needs of the people with equity and justice.

“We are grateful to the federal government, we are grateful to the World Bank and all the development partners.

“Roads are the architect of opportunities. They connect farmers to markets, women to healthcare, children to schools, security agencies to vulnerable communities and rural economy to national prosperity.

“For decades, many rural communities in Bauchi have suffered neglect. Roads became impassable during rainy seasons, farmers lost produce, students struggled to reach schools and sick people were unable to get timely medical attention,” he said.

Mohammed, who said that the days of neglect of the rural communities were over, added that RAAMP remained a key pillar for his transformative agenda and aligned with his Bauchi project 1&2.

He said RAAMP also aligned with the Bauchi Agricultural modernisation, inclusive development, improved governance, youth empowerment, poverty reduction and sustainable infrastructure.

According to him, RAAMP was not just about roads, it’s about connecting communities, boosting the rural economy and laying the foundation of lasting prosperity.

He highlighted the roads to include 26.8 kilometers Mararaba Liman Katagum-Boli-Kafinmawa-Mararaba Dajin roads, 14.75km Dargazu- Gambaki-Chinade-Gangai road, 28km Gamawa – Sakwa road.

Others included; 14.45km Misau- Beti- Maladunba roads, 6.6km Giade – Tagwaye road, 6.68km Yana-Fago road, 6.71km Mararraban Dajin- Dajin road, 36.65km Dott-Dado- Baraza road, 24km Lanzai-Papa road.

He further explained that the road construction also included 4.91km Gadar Maiwa- Zakara road, 25km Dagu-Ningi road, 8.86km Nabordo – Gadan Doka.

The governor called on traditional rulers to support contractors and remained vigilant and provide intelligence on security and safety.

Also speaking, Engr. Aminu Mohammed, the National Coordinator (RAAMP)
Coordinator said that the state has disbursed over N6 billion in counterpart funding to RAAMP, making it one of the top performing states.

“These roads will open critical agricultural corridors, reduce travel time and post harvest losses, improve access to markets, schools and healthcare.

“It will also enhance rural productivity and inclusion, stimulate economic activities across all the three senatorial zones in the state,” he said.

He called on the contractors to deliver the project with the highest standard of engineering professionalism and compliance with environmental and social safeguard.

The Coordinator also called on the communities to take ownership of the roads and take care of and protect them.