The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed that the embattled deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, is now in its custody.
The NDLEA in a Monday evening statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Mr Kyari was handed over to the agency by the police.
The agency had earlier declared Mr Kyari wanted for aiding and abetting drug pushing and running his own drug cartel.
The declaration by the NDLEA came a few months after the former police intelligence unit commander was indicted in an internet fraud case by a U.S. court.
Following the declaration, the Nigerian police announced that Mr Kyari was arrested alongside four other members of the police intelligence response team.
“Few hours after he was declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA over his involvement in a 25 kilograms Cocaine deal, the Nigerian Police Force has handed over the suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force, to the anti-narcotic agency.
“Five of the wanted suspects namely: DCP Abba Kyari; ACP Sunday J. Ubua; ASP Bawa James; Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu were driven into the National Headquarters of NDLEA in Abuja at about 5pm on Monday 14th February to formally hand them over for interrogation and further investigation.
“The Agency wishes to assure that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that all suspects already in custody and those that may still be indicted in the course of the investigation will face the full weight of the law at the end of the ongoing probe,” the statement said.
