27/02/2026: Court Overrules NDLEA’s Objection, Orders Police Video Evidence Indicting NDLEA to Be Admitted and Played on 16 March 2026

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ruled that video evidence of confessions of the drug suspects arrested by the Police IRT in Enugu International Airport on 19/1/2022 and subsequently transferred to NDLEA on 25/1/2022 indicting NDLEA for conniving with the International drug traffickers presented by the defence in the ongoing trial of DCP Abba Kyari and four officers of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) be admitted as an exhibit and played in open court on 16 March 2026.

At the resumed hearing on Friday, the court adjourned the matter to allow defence counsel to prepare and present the video evidence. The ruling came despite objections from the NDLEA prosecution counsel representing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who opposed the playing of the videotape Indicting their NDLEA officers.

According to the defence, the video recordings contain confessional statements from the arrested drug suspects arrested by the Police IRT and transferred to NDLEA and are said to exonerate DCP Kyari and the IRT officers while implicating NDLEA operatives in conniving multiple times in bringing heavy drugs to Nigeria with this same drug traffickers Patrick Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne whom the Police arrested and transferred to NDLEA.

Justice Nwite, after hearing submissions from both parties, stated:

> “Having considered all the submissions from both parties, I hereby adjourn this matter to 16 March 2026. The video evidence, which the court has given nod as an exhibit, shall be admitted and played in open court on that date.”

The case revolves around the arrest of two suspected drug traffickers — Patrick Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne — who were apprehended by the Police IRT at the Enugu International Airport on 19 January 2022 and transferred to NDLEA on 25/1/2022. The police recovered approximately 21.55 kilograms of cocaine and subsequently transferred both the suspects and the seized drugs to the NDLEA on 25 January 2022 for further investigation.

The NDLEA later alleged that the police officers tampered with part of the seized cocaine consignment. However, the IRT officers have consistently denied the allegation, maintaining that all recovered exhibits and suspects were handed over intact to the anti-drug agency.

During a previous hearing on 28 January, under cross-examination, the defence witness alleged that during video interview the drug suspects suspects who were previously been cleared and escorted out of the airport on multiple occasions by NDLEA before their eventual arrest by the police indicted NDLEA heavily.

A serving police officer, John Nwonke, testified as the second defence witness (DW2). Led in evidence by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, counsel to DCP Kyari, the witness stated that he personally interviewed the suspects and recorded their confessional statements. He presented his warrant card and official identification before the court.

Although the video evidence was not played during earlier proceedings, Justice Nwite has now ordered that it be presented in open court in the interest of transparency and justice.

Other defendants in the matter include Sunday J. Ubua (Assistant Commissioner of Police), Bawa James (Assistant Superintendent of Police), Simon Agirgba (Inspector), and John Nuhu (Inspector), all members of the Police Intelligence Response Team.

The case continues at the Federal High Court, Abuja.