Headlines
NDLEA Arraigns Abba Kyari, Six Others over Drug Deal
The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has been arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on eight counts bordering on conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences.
The other defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, are four members of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Sunday J. Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba and John Nuhu.
Two other suspects arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, were also listed as defendants.
In the charge filed through a team of lawyers led by its Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday, NDLEA accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in Cocaine worth 17.55 kilograms.
They were also accused of tampering with 21.25kg of cocaine unlawfully.
Moments after Kyari was declared wanted by NDLEA on February 14, the Nigeria Police Force, through the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, announced Kyari’s arrest.
The agency said the police handed over Kyari to NDLEA at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force, to the anti-narcotic agency.
NDLEA also said the senior cop was caught on camera handing over $61,400 in cash to compromise its operative.
The suspended cop was invited for questioning on February 10 but did not show up or respond, according to the NDLEA.
The senior police officer was earlier suspended after he was implicated by Nigerian influencer Ramon Abbas, known as Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to money laundering and other crimes in the United States.
Kyari, who became famous for exposing a string of high-profile crimes in Nigeria, denied the allegations against him.
On Thursday, the Federal Government approved the request by the United States of America to extradite the suspended Kyari over alleged $1.1million wire fraud involving Abass Ramon aka Hushpuppi and four others.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made this known in an application filed before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
