A suspended top Nigerian police officer has denied allegations linking him to an international drug cartel.

Abba Kyari was arrested last week after being accused by the country’s anti-drug agency, NDLEA, of working with a drug cartel operating between Nigeria, Ethiopia and Brazil.

But on Monday he told a court in the capital Abuja through his lawyers that the allegations were trumped up.

The NDLEA had alleged that Mr Kyari attempted to bribe its officers to sell most of the 25 kilos (55 lbs) of cocaine seized by his team and then share the proceeds.

But he dismissed the allegations.

He said he was framed by the NDLEA officers after he insisted that an informant who gave a tip-off leading to the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker be compensated as initially agreed.

One of his lawyers, Hamza Nuhu Dantani, told the BBC they also filed an application for his bail.

He said this was because he had been detained for more than 24 hours without charge, which violated his fundamental human rights.

The court will hear the bail application on Thursday.

Mr Kyari became well known for his successes in leading a police unit fighting gangs behind high-profile kidnappings and fraud in Nigeria.

He was suspended last year after being linked to a suspected international internet fraudster Hushpuppi who was standing trial in the US.

The officer known as the “super cop” denied that allegation as well.