Suspended deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari has denied ownership of properties allegedly linked to him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the ongoing asset-disclosure trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Testifying before Justice James Omotosho on Tuesday, Mr Kyari said some of the properties in question belonged to his late father.
“Some of those properties belonged to my late father who had about 30 children,” he told the court.
Kyari said he was surprised when the NDLEA linked several assets to him, adding that documents related to the properties were in the custody of the Borno State Ministry of Land.
He also denied owning a polo ground in Borno State, saying it was far beyond his capacity.
“Even Dangote, who is the richest man in Nigeria, does not own such a property, how much more someone like me,” he said.
Kyari told the court that the Borno polo ground cited by the NDLEA had been in existence before his birth.
“The polo ground had been there since I was a child. We used to go there to play,” he said.
His defence team argued that the NDLEA’s case was based on assumptions and not verifiable ownership records.
While denying ownership of other properties, Kyari admitted he owns a farmland along the Abuja–Kaduna road, which he said he had managed for about ten years.
“I have been managing that farmland for about ten years now. It’s my only property,” he said.
Abba Kyari was suspended in 2022 following his alleged involvement in a drug-related case.
The NDLEA accused him of conspiring with international drug cartels and failing to disclose several assets.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The court adjourned the matter to a later date for continuation of trial.
