OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA

BY PAUL OMOH

Subject: A Call for Compassionate Review, Release, and Strategic Re-engagement of DCP Abba Kyari and ACP Sunday Ubah in the National Security Interest

Your Excellency,
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation,
The Inspector General of Police,
And Distinguished Leaders of our Nation,

We write collectively as security professionals of Nigerian descent based across North America—individuals with backgrounds in law enforcement, intelligence, criminology, and national security strategy. Our commitment to Nigeria remains unwavering, and it is from this position of expertise and patriotism that we respectfully appeal for the compassionate review and release of DCP Abba Kyari and ACP Sunday Ubah.
Nigeria’s Present Security Reality
Nigeria today faces a deeply troubling escalation in:
Kidnapping for ransom
Violent criminal networks
Organized banditry
These threats demand not only policy responses but also the immediate deployment of proven operational expertise—something both officers have demonstrably delivered in the past.
The Proven Record of DCP Abba Kyari
As former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s most effective anti-crime operatives.
Key Achievements Include:
Leading the operation that resulted in the arrest of notorious kidnap kingpin Evans (Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike), a defining moment in Nigeria’s fight against kidnapping
Coordinating numerous successful operations against interstate kidnapping syndicates and armed robbery gangs
Spearheading intelligence-driven policing strategies that led to the rescue of victims and the dismantling of criminal cells
Establishing rapid-response frameworks that significantly reduced response time to high-risk incidents
Awards and Recognition:
Recipient of the Nigeria Police Force Medal for Courage
Multiple Inspector General of Police Commendations
National and public recognition as a highly effective crime-fighting officer
Impact:
During his leadership of the IRT, Nigeria witnessed a measurable disruption of kidnapping networks and a heightened sense of public confidence in law enforcement operations.
Contributions of ACP Sunday Ubah
ACP Sunday Ubah, a senior operative within the IRT structure, played a vital role in operational execution and intelligence coordination.
Professional Contributions Include:
Participation in coordinated operations targeting kidnapping syndicates and violent gangs
Field leadership in high-risk arrests and rescue missions
Support in intelligence gathering, suspect tracking, and inter-agency collaboration
Contribution to the overall operational successes attributed to the IRT during its most effective years
While public documentation may not always isolate individual operations under his sole command, his embedded leadership role within the IRT places him firmly among the architects of its successes.
On the Record of Arrests and Operations
It is widely acknowledged that under the leadership structure involving DCP Abba Kyari and officers like ACP Sunday Ubah, the IRT:
Dismantled multiple kidnapping rings across Abuja and other states
Arrested high-profile criminal suspects linked to organized violent crime
Rescued numerous victims from captivity
Disrupted interstate criminal logistics and financing networks
We urge that any official review should draw from internal police records, which more comprehensively document these operations.
Humanitarian Grounds for Compassion
Beyond professional considerations, recent personal losses suffered by both officers call for national empathy:
ACP Sunday Ubah endured the tragic passing of his wife, Sherry, while he remained incarcerated
DCP Abba Kyari also lost his mother during his period of detention
These painful circumstances underscore the human dimension of this appeal. Compassion, a core value of any just society, should not be absent in the administration of justice.
Strategic Argument for Re-engagement
From a security standpoint, continued detention without resolution represents a missed national opportunity.
Nigeria stands to benefit from:
Redeploying experienced anti-kidnapping operatives with proven field success
Leveraging institutional knowledge of criminal networks and patterns
Strengthening tactical and intelligence-led policing capacity
At a time when kidnapping and violent crime persist, it is strategically counterproductive to sideline officers with demonstrated effectiveness in combating these threats.
A Reflection on the IRT’s Peak Effectiveness
During the peak years of the Intelligence Response Team under this leadership structure:
Kidnapping incidents saw notable disruption
Criminal syndicates operated under increased pressure
Public perception of police effectiveness improved
The contrast with today’s persistent security challenges raises an important question:
Is Nigeria fully utilizing the expertise available to it?
A Call for Balanced Justice
We are not unmindful of the importance of due process and the rule of law. However, justice must also be:
Timely
Balanced
Responsive to national realities
Prolonged legal uncertainty without resolution risks undermining both justice and national security priorities.
Our Respectful Appeal
We therefore urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to:
Conduct a compassionate and expedited review of the cases involving both officers
Consider conditional release or structured reintegration, where legally permissible
Explore avenues for their controlled and supervised deployment in national security roles
Balance legal processes with humanitarian considerations and national interest
Conclusion
Nigeria urgently needs solutions to its evolving security challenges. DCP Abba Kyari and ACP Sunday Ubah represent a rare combination of experience, courage, and operational success in the fight against violent crime.
Keeping such expertise sidelined amid rising insecurity does not serve the nation’s best interests.
We appeal not only for justice, but for wisdom, compassion, and strategic foresight.