The Federal High Court in Abuja led by Justice Emeka Nwite has granted temporary bail to the former Commander of the Force Intelligence Response Team, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari. This bail, which is valid for two weeks, was granted on compassionate grounds to allow Kyari to attend the burial of his late mother.
The conditions for the bail include a sum of 50 million Naira and a surety of the same amount. The judge specified that the surety, who will be Kyari’s legal counsel, must submit a copy of their call-to-bar certificate to the deputy registrar of the court. Additionally, Kyari is required to surrender his travel passport to the court and must report to the nearest formation of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) within the duration of the bail.
Justice Nwite’s order is effective pending the outcome of Kyari’s bail application, which is scheduled for a ruling on May 31, 2024. Although Kyari’s mother, Yachilla Kyari, passed away on May 5, 2024, it remains unclear if her death directly influenced the decision to grant him bail.
Kyari’s legal troubles date back to 2021, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) implicated him in a case involving alleged international internet fraud, linked to notorious fraudster Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi. In a separate case, Kyari was arrested by the NDLEA in February 2022 for alleged involvement in drug-related offenses. Since his arrest, he has been held at the Kuje prison in Abuja.
The granting of temporary bail to Kyari has sparked significant interest and speculation, given his high-profile legal issues and the conditions attached to his release. The court’s decision reflects a balance between the compassionate grounds for bail and the stringent requirements to ensure Kyari remains within the jurisdiction and accessible to law enforcement. This temporary reprieve provides Kyari an opportunity to fulfill his family obligations while still under the scrutiny of the legal system.
As the situation develops, the legal community and the public will be closely watching the next steps in Kyari’s case, particularly the impending ruling on his bail application at the end of May.
