Abba Kyari, suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police, has been arrested by the Nigerian police.

Kyari was arrested on Monday alongside six others, according to Punch, hours after he was declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over links to a drug cartel.

The paper quoted a senior police officer at the Force headquarters as saying Kyari was handcuffed and arrested like any other suspect.

The paper also said Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesman of the Force, confirmed Kyari’s arrest, saying a press release would be issued soon.

Earlier on Monday, at a press briefing convened at its headquarters in Abuja by Femi Babafemi, its Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA had said Kyari tried to strike a hefty deal with officers of the agency over 25kg of seized cocaine.

It said each kg of seized cocaine was worth N7million, with Kyari initially trying to do deals with 15kg, and susequently 20kg (worth N140million), of the seized item.

Babafemi said NDLEA officials played along with Kyari up till the point where the drugs and the suspects were delivered to the agency; however, since then, Kyari has shunned all his formal invitations to him.

A video of Kyari attempting to bribe and NDLEA official was subsequently released.