By Amah
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Fresh revelations have emerged in the ongoing trial of embattled police officer Abba Kyari, as two convicted drug traffickers told a Federal High Court in Abuja how they allegedly received assistance from officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to evade airport security during cocaine trafficking operations.
The testimony, delivered through a video recording played in open court on Monday, adds a troubling layer to a case already mired in allegations of corruption within Nigeria’s security architecture.
The court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, admitted the video evidence earlier in February. It was presented at the instance of defence counsel Abdul Mohammed, representing Kyari. Notably, the prosecution raised no objection to its admission.
In the footage, the two men, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who have both served two-year prison sentences, recounted their roles in an international cocaine trafficking ring and the alleged complicity of NDLEA personnel stationed at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport.
According to their testimonies, the operation was meticulously coordinated. Photographs of couriers were allegedly sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport, ensuring easy identification and clearance upon arrival.
“They will already know us,” one of the men explained in the recording. “Once we arrive, they clear us.”
The screening process, they claimed, was deliberately superficial. Bags containing cocaine would be opened briefly and closed again without proper checks, a routine that enabled them to pass through security undetected.
Umeibe told the court he was lured into drug trafficking by financial hardship, revealing that he sourced cocaine from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He disclosed receiving ₦500,000 per trip, a sum he described as both incentive and survival.
Ezenwanne, on his part, said he was recruited by associates based in Brazil, having previously been involved in the clothing business. He admitted using proceeds from the illicit trade to offset debts and support his family.
Both men described a delivery chain that extended beyond the airport: after arrival, they would travel overnight to Lagos and contact unidentified handlers for final handover.
The trial also involves four other officers: Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu, all members of the police force linked to Kyari’s former Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
The case against Kyari, once celebrated as one of Nigeria’s most decorated crime fighters, has become emblematic of deeper systemic cracks, where those tasked with enforcement stand accused of enabling the very crimes they are meant to combat.
Following the playing of the video, the defence requested time to reconcile discrepancies between the recording and its transcript. Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned proceedings to April 20 and 21 for continuation of trial.
As the case resumes, the spotlight remains fixed not just on Kyari, but on the integrity of Nigeria’s anti-narcotics framework, and the unsettling possibility of institutional compromise at the nation’s gateways.
