NDLEA has double standards, yet to parade Kyari- HURIWA

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has accused the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of having double standards.

The civil rights advocacy group decried the illegal parading of drug suspects yet to be convicted by any court of law, while the Agency is yet to parade detained narcotics suspect, Abba Kyari.

In a statement on Sunday, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, recalled that the anti-narcotics agency raids over the weekend at the Lagos Island area which saw seven drug suspects paraded while the agency claimed it recovered 5,862kg illicit drugs including ‘Loud and Codeine’.

The NDLEA had also arrested and paraded singers Zinoleesky and Mohbad few days earlier after a midnight raid on their residence in Lagos.

However, HURIWA expressed dissatisfaction over NDLEA’s refusal to parade suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, with the 25kg cocaine, $61,400 and other exhibits recovered from him.

HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “HURIWA has noted with significant regret the needless deaths that characterised the weekend raids of the NDLEA officials in the Partey area of Lagos which resulted in the senseless loss of lives.

“HURIWA further thinks that it amounts to  double standards by the NDLEA officials who have refused to parade Abba Kyari two weeks after his indictment in drug trafficking-related offences but who then quickly paraded the alleged drug dealers in Lagos minutes after their arrest.

“The NDLEA has constantly paraded suspected drug peddlers. The parading of suspects is in itself against the principle of law because of the presumption of innocence.

“However, HURIWA again calls on security agencies to stop parading suspects particularly when they are yet to be convicted.

“It is disappointing that despite several made by us pleas to the Brig-Gen Buba Marwa (retd) led NDLEA, the Agency just like all other law enforcement agencies continues to do the illegal practice of parading suspects who are yet to be determined as convicted by the competent courts of law which has the judicial powers of the Federation as enshrined in Section 6 of the Constitution.

“However, the NDLEA said it arrested and detained the serving Deputy Commissioner of police Abba Kyari over drugs related offences but Nigerians till date aren’t too sure if he was actually arrested, handcuffed or detained as we have been told because NDLEA has refused to parade Abba Kyari apparently because he is a sacred cow.

“The NDLEA must be transparent and allow the principles of fairness and equity to govern its operations.”