Tobi Adebayo
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba has ordered the closure of all satellite units of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) across the country.
This development follows the arrest of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of Nigeria Police Force IRT, Abba Kyari over an alleged link to a drug cartel operating across the globe.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had on Monday declared Kyari wanted for possession of 25kg of illicit drugs.
He was subsequently arrested by the Police alongside four others for “their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a perpetual transnational drug cartel,” a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi read.
“In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations. The interim investigations report revealed that two (2) international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on the 19th of January, 2022 upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917.
“The arrest led to the recovery of a substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers. The operation which was intelligence-driven was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
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“Although the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on the 25th January 2022, the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the Inspector General of Police established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings as well as official corruption which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered.
“Beyond this, the Police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu who are on their payroll. The two arrested drug couriers confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification, seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked,” the statement read in part.
Kyari and the other suspects have been handed over to the NDLEA.
