The Nigeria Police Force, on Wednesday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, allegedly cleared drug traffickers at the Enugu Airport before they were arrested with cocaine by police officers.
The allegation emerged during proceedings in the ongoing trial of entity[“people”,”Abba Kyari”,”former police intelligence officer”] and four others before Justice Emeka Nwite.
The police made the claim while leading evidence through the second defence witness, John Nwonke, a serving police officer, who testified under cross-examination by defence counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).
Nwonke told the court that officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team arrested two drug suspects — Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne — at the Enugu Airport on January 19, 2022, with about 21.55 kilogrammes of cocaine, after they were allegedly cleared by NDLEA officers on duty.
He said he was invited to the IRT office on January 20, 2022, to conduct a video interview of the suspects, having been identified as a trained police video and camera expert attached to the Media and Public Relations Department.
According to him, during the interview, the suspects claimed they travelled to Ethiopia several times to bring drugs into Nigeria through the Enugu Airport, adding that NDLEA officers on duty were allegedly aware of their movements.
The witness told the court that the suspects said their photographs were usually sent to NDLEA officers ahead of arrival and that they were taken to the NDLEA desk at the airport where their bags were allegedly checked and released.
He said the suspects claimed they had successfully carried out the operation multiple times before they were arrested outside the airport by the Police IRT.
Nwonke added that the entire interview was recorded on video, which the defence sought to tender and play in court.
However, the prosecution objected to the playing of the video, citing provisions of the Evidence Act. In response, Ikpeazu argued that the video was necessary for the defence of the accused persons and that the two drug suspects referenced in the recording were not parties to the current trial, having already pleaded guilty and been convicted.
Justice Emeka Nwite cautioned the prosecution to restrict submissions to issues of law and adjourned the matter to February 27 for ruling on the admissibility of the video evidence and continuation of hearing.
Kyari is standing trial alongside four other police officers over their alleged roles in the matter.
