Since the scandal erupted recently over alleged involvement of suspended head of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, in drug dealings, no fewer than four of his alleged accomplices have come under the axe by police authorities pending the outcome of investigation into the allegations levelled against them. The Police Service Commission (PSC) early last week exercised its powers to suspend two senior officers, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunday Ubua and Assistant Superintendent of Police James Bawa, and it requested Police Inspector-General Alkali Baba to suspend Inspector Simon Agrigba and Inspector John Nuhu in accordance with the powers of delegation. The PSC, in a statement, said it further requested the Inspector-General to inform it of the arrest of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Umoru “who is currently at large whenever his arrest is effected to enable it take necessary action.” It added: “The Commission also directed the Inspector-General of Police to note also that DCP Abba Kyari, who prior to this allegation was on suspension, shall remain so until the conclusion of investigations.”
From the account given by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) about Kyari’s alleged drug involvement, however, it remains to be seen how much effect being on suspension has in keeping a police officer away from active duty. Kyari has been on suspension and placed under yet-to-be-concluded investigation by the Nigerian Police since United States authorities declared him wanted in July 2021 over his alleged role in a scam perpetrated by notorious fraudster Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, and five others. But the particular drug case over which he is indicted by the NDLEA reportedly began on 21st January, 2022 when DCP Kyari allegedly initiated a call to an NDLEA officer that his team had intercepted and arrested some traffickers who came into the country from Ethiopia with 25kg of cocaine and proposed a deal to purloin 15kg of the consignment, leaving 10kg for the prosecution of the suspects. When Kyari was eventually arrested by the police and handed over to the NDLEA, it was along with four members of his IRT team who are now on suspension.
So, if Kyari has been on suspension since 2021, how come he still had IRT operatives under his command to execute the alleged drug plot? He certainly couldn’t have done that as an officer on suspension, functioning from outside the purview of official police operations. Or does being on suspension from police work have a different meaning from what is generally understood by being on suspension? If being on suspension does not hamstrung an officer from actively operating, we must wait to see what effect the latest rash of suspensions will have on the affected personnel. With the Kyari saga, curious only gets curioser.