FACT-CHECK: Claim That Suspended Police Officer, Abba Kyari, Has Been Released and Reinstated Is False

BY: Mustapha Lawal

Claim:

Abba Kyari has been released and is now back in the police force.

Verdict:

False and Misleading! The claim that Abba Kyari is “free” and “back in action” is false and misleading. While it is true that he was granted conditional bail in May 2024, this does not equate to full release or freedom. Kyari is still under active prosecution and remains suspended from the police force.

Background:

A TikTok video claimed that suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari has been released and is now free. The video stated, “The hero has returned Abba Kyari…. The anti-Yahoo boys, Kidnappers, Bandits… All criminals should start running!!” — implying that he is not only out of detention but has also returned to policing duties.

Abba Kyari, once celebrated for leading Nigeria’s police crackdowns on cybercrime, kidnapping, and banditry, fell from grace in 2021 when he was arrested and detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He was charged with tampering with several kilograms of cocaine and indicted in a U.S. investigation for alleged links to international fraudster Ramon Abbas, a.k.a. Hushpuppi. Kyari has since been on suspension from the Nigeria Police Force.

In the TikTok video that recently went viral, a user praised Kyari’s “return”, suggesting that he had regained freedom and resumed his law enforcement duties. The comments on the video include: “Welcome back, sir. you have lots of job to do. ♥️🔥” “could this be true, m (sic) so happy to see this if really is true” suggesting that some users believes same to be true.

FactCheckAfrica decided to check given the sensitivity of the case particularly as regards the reputation of public institutions involved. 

Verification:

FactCheckAfrica conducted a thorough keyword search using terms such as “Abba Kyari released”, “Abba Kyari reinstated police”, and “Abba Kyari trial update”. This search yielded no credible news reports confirming that Abba Kyari has been acquitted of the drug trafficking charges or even reinstated in the force.

What the court did grant was a conditional bail on health and humanitarian grounds in May 2024, to allow him to attend his mother’s burial. This bail came after 27 months in detention at the Kuje Custodial Centre. The terms of his bail require him to surrender his passport and report regularly to the NDLEA. There has been no report of a full release, acquittal, or return to duty.

Further, in April 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed Kyari’s “no-case” submission and ruled that he must open his defence on all five charges related to conspiracy, drug trafficking, and tampering with evidence. This decision underscores that his trial is still active and he is far from being cleared.

There is also no statement from the Nigeria Police Force or any government body confirming Kyari’s reinstatement into service. He remains officially suspended, pending the outcome of his ongoing trial.

Conclusion:

The TikTok claim that Abba Kyari is “free” and “back in action” is false and misleading. While it is true that he was granted conditional bail in May 2024, this does not equate to full release or freedom. The TikTok post ignores the facts of Kyari’s ongoing legal battles and misrepresents the current status of his case. While he was recently granted bail, the court has not cleared him of the charges, nor has he been reinstated into the police force. Kyari is still under active prosecution and remains suspended from the police force. He has not been exonerated, and his legal troubles are far from over.