The Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN) has called for the immediate release of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, and the discontinuation of his trial.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Comrade General, former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, the group described Kyari’s continued detention as a “grave injustice,” especially following recent presidential pardons granted to several convicts — many of whom, MEN claims, were arrested by Kyari’s team.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN) observes with deep concern the continued detention and prosecution of DCP Abba Kyari despite recent presidential pardons extended to convicted drug traffickers, fraudsters, kidnappers, and bandits — many of whom were arrested by his team in the line of duty,” the statement read.
Kyari and six others were arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in March 2022 for allegedly conspiring to tamper with and traffic 21.35 kilograms of cocaine seized from suspected traffickers.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu granted presidential pardons to 175 people, including the late nationalist Herbert Macaulay, the late Major General Mamman Vatsa, and Maryam Sanda, who had been sentenced to death for killing her husband.
According to a statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the pardons were based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The clemency covered a range of offences, including homicide, fraud, and illegal mining.
MEN described this as “selective justice,” arguing that it undermines the fairness of Nigeria’s justice system.
“The recent wave of presidential pardons has effectively erased the moral and legal justification for Kyari’s continued prosecution,” the group said. “His case now represents a double standard that threatens the integrity of our justice system.”
MEN warned that keeping the case alive could discourage law enforcement officers from performing their duties diligently.
“This is a case of institutional betrayal against a man who once risked his life for national security,” the statement continued. “Justice demands consistency, and mercy should not be reserved for the guilty while punishment continues for the righteous.”
The group urged President Tinubu and the Attorney-General to withdraw all charges against Kyari and ensure his immediate release, insisting that failure to do so would amount to a “travesty of justice.”
Abba Kyari, the former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), earned national recognition for his work in crime fighting before his arrest in February 2022. He has since maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to all charges.
