Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari has tendered before the Federal High Court in Abuja a video recording allegedly showing operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency assisting drug traffickers to bypass airport security checks.
The video, which forms part of Kyari’s defence in his ongoing cocaine-related trial, was played in open court following a ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite admitting the recording as evidence and marking it as “Exhibit D-3.”
According to court proceedings, the footage reportedly captured confessional statements by two convicted drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who alleged that NDLEA officers facilitated their passage through airport security before their arrest.
A police witness attached to Force Headquarters told the court that the traffickers claimed agency operatives were aware of their movements and sometimes allowed them to pass through checks without thorough searches.
Kyari, a former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, is standing trial alongside other police officers over allegations bordering on conspiracy, obstruction, and dealings involving over 21 kilograms of cocaine between January 19 and 25, 2022.
The prosecution by the NDLEA has maintained that the substantive drug trafficking case against the suspended officer remains ongoing, despite his recent discharge in a separate asset declaration trial.
Legal analysts say the admission and playback of the video could shape the trajectory of the high-profile trial, as the court evaluates its evidentiary weight alongside testimonies from both prosecution and defence witnesses.
The case has been adjourned to a later date for continuation of the defence.
