The family of Abba Kyari, Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has dismissed reports alleging he operated 10 bank accounts with N200 million, calling the claims false and sponsored.

The allegations emerged during the resumed hearing of an asset declaration case on 13th March 2025.

In a statement, Daniel Okpotu, Media Assistant to the Abba Kyari Family, clarified that Kyari has accounts in only four banks: UBA, GTB, Sterling, and Access. These accounts, totaling 10, include savings, current, dollar, and euro accounts, with a combined balance of less than N4 million.

The statement noted that Kyari’s dollar and euro accounts have been inactive for 12 years, with no transactions recorded. It also revealed that total deposits and withdrawals over 23 years amount to N200 million, including salaries, allowances, and legitimate expenses.

During cross-examination, a prosecution witness testified that no funds in Kyari’s accounts were linked to criminal activity. The family accused certain parties of circulating similar false narratives three years ago.

The statement urged Nigerians to disregard misleading media reports, asserting Kyari has never held up to N5 million in any account in the past decade. The case, heard in an open court, has drawn public interest amid claims of a media trial.

The family emphasised that Kyari’s financial records can be verified by any banker in Nigeria.

The statement reads, “Reports circulating that Abba Kyari operated 10 accounts with N200 million are false and sponsored to twist the narrative of the asset declaration case hearing on 13/03/2025. The truth, verifiable by any banker, is that Kyari has accounts in only four banks—UBA, GTB, Sterling, and Access—with less than four million naira combined. He also has one dollar and one Euro account, both inactive for 12 years, with no transactions recorded.

“It must be categorically stated that the total money in all 10 accounts is less than four million naira. Over 23 years, cumulative deposits and withdrawals, including salaries and legitimate expenses, amount to 200 million naira. During cross-examination, a prosecution witness testified that no funds in Kyari’s accounts were linked to crime.

“These are the same falsehoods circulated three years ago during the sponsored media trial. We were all in court on Wednesday; it was an open court. It is strange to read absolute falsehoods peddled without any truth. Abba Kyari has never had five million naira in any account for the past 10 years. Nigerians should not be misled by these false and misleading stories.”(Vanguard)