Nigeria, Nov. 6 -- Abba Kyari, former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian police, told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday that 20 houses he was accused of not declaring as his assets were owned by his late father.

Mr Kyari, fielding questions under cross-examination by the prosecution in a non-disclosure of assets trial, said the houses now belonged to about 30 children of his deceased father.

"I cannot put my interest in the 20 houses in the asset form because they belonged to my father and not me. If I get my share, I can put my interest in it," Mr Kyari said, testifying as the first defence witness in the trial.

Asked by the prosecution lawyer, Sunday Joseph, to look at his asset declaration form a...