Abba Kyari claims millions found in his accounts was paid to him by Police and some state Governors

 During his examination-in-chief on Tuesday, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari reportedly denied owning some of the properties linked to him.

According to Premium Times, led in evidence by his counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Kyari was said to have explained that the assets in question actually belonged to his late father, who had about thirty children.

He, however, admitted to owning a farmland along the Abuja–Kaduna Road, stating that he had maintained the property for over a decade. He also confirmed operating bank accounts with United Bank for Africa, Access Bank, and Guarantee Trust Bank, adding that the £7,000 found in his domiciliary account had been duly declared in compliance with legal requirements.

Kyari reportedly told the court that the millions of naira in his accounts were legitimate payments received from the police and some state governors to support operational activities.

Explaining why funds said to have been provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria were later transferred to his relatives, he stated that the money represented repayments for loans he had obtained from them to fund urgent police operations, since official disbursements often took time to process.

He further informed the court that under his supervision, the Anti-Robbery Squad and the Intelligence Response Team carried out over a thousand operations, and that funds were typically channelled through his accounts for operational expenses.

It was reported that two of his co-defendants had earlier pleaded guilty and were convicted and sentenced in June 2022. The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, had in April directed Kyari and the remaining defendants to open their defence