FG seizes 14 properties including shopping malls from Abba Kyari

The Federal Government has seized some assets belonging to a former commander, Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The suspended police officer is currently facing prosecution for illegal cocaine dealing alongside six others.

According to reports, Kyari was said to have failed to disclose his ownership of the properties in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State.

Some of the properties uncovered include shopping malls, residential estate, polo playground, lands and farmland, The Punch reports.

Also, over N207m and Є17,598 were discovered in Kyari’s various accounts in GTB, UBA and Sterling Bank.

These were revealed in the fresh 24-count charges against the suspended police officer by the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, J. Sunday.

In the charges, the Attorney-General of the Federation accused Kyari of disguising his ownership of some of the properties.

The case filed dated August 30, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, with charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/408/22 had Mohammed Kyari and Ali Kyari as co-defendants.

Both Mohammed and Ali are believed to be Kyari’s siblings.

Kyari’s Abuja Assets: The Federal Government said Kyari knowingly failed to disclose his asset at plot no 1927 Blue Fountain Estate, Karsana, Abuja.

The prosecutor also accused the embattled police officer of not disclosing his ownership of an estate at Linda Chaulker Road, Asokoro Extension; plot no. 5 titled BO/4546; plot no. 9 titled BO/1037; plot no. 10 titled CER/4319.

His failure to disclose the properties according to the government is an offence punishable under section 35(3)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Another farmland belonging to Kyari along Abuja-Kaduna road and a plaza under construction in Guzape, Abuja, was also not disclosed.

Maiduguri Assets: The charge stated further that the suspended DCP, failed to reveal his ownership of a shopping mall titled, NE/1229 and a polo playground with plot no. 270, both located in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

The charges read in part: ‘’That you, DCP Abba Kyari, male, adult and you Mohammed Kyari, male, adult, on or about February 14, 2022, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court in order to disguise the true ownership of the property situate at plot no. 33, Bama Road, GRA Extension, Maiduguri, Borno State, covered by certificate no. BO/4319 issued by Borno State Government by deposing to a false affidavit at the Federal High Court in suit no. FHC/NG/Cs/9/2022 and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, (as amended).’’

Moreover, the charges revealed that Kyari knowingly converted N28.4 million in his GTB account number 0121075250; N65.2m in his GTB account number 0138360064; N95 million in UBA account number 1002250112 and N16.9 million in Sterling Bank account number 0072451994, Punch reports.