IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2017 Contact:

Brian Berg/Brian@mkcpr.com
312.822.0505/312.282.8260 (m)

Buruji Kashamu Petitions the United States Supreme Court

To Uphold Law Against International Kidnappings By U.S. Agents

February 8, 2017 (Chicago, IL) -- In response to the ruling of a federal court of appeals, which made factual findings and addressed the merits of a case despite having no factual record before it, lawyers for Buruji Kashamu, a duly elected federal Senator and businessman from Nigeria, today filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to review and reverse the ruling.

Attorneys Robert Cohen and Matthew Piers filed the lawsuit federal court in Chicago seeking a court order that would end and prevent attempts by agents of the United States government to unlawfully kidnap Senator Kashamu in Nigeria and forcibly bring him to the United States to face charges that were brought against him in 1998. Since the original charges were filed, two courts in Great Britain have determined that the evidence presented by the U.S. was insufficient to warrant his extradition and that the charges were the product of a case of mistaken identity.

“Our courts may not make findings of fact without evidence, and our law enforcement officials should never be allowed to violate the law – either here in the U.S. or in other nations,” said Matthew Piers, one of Senator Kashamu’s attorneys and a shareholder of the law firm Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. “These principles have never been more important than now, when the rule of law is under attack from both inside and out of our government. We hope this action will halt any further attempts by U.S. authorities to abduct the Senator, allow respect for the rulings of the British courts, and let Sen. Kashamu get on with his life and his important work in the Nigerian government,” Piers added.

The unprecedented ruling of the court of appeals was only the latest chapter in a bizarre tale that started nearly 18 years ago at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

Senator Kashamu’s troubles began in 1998 when the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois added his to name to an indictment that is still pending today. The indictment was initially created in 1994 and was issued to 14 other defendants accused of importing and distributing narcotics in the U.S. – the most notable defendant being Piper Kernan, whose memoir inspired the hit television series “Orange is the New Black.” From the onset, Senator Kashamu has asserted the accusations against him are a case of mistaken identity, an assertion that has been supported by two British Courts, INTERPOL, and multiple Nigerian Court rulings.

Senator Kashamu filed a lawsuit in the United States in April 2015 alleging that U.S. officials, attempting to circumvent the rulings of the British courts, have been engaged in efforts to kidnap him and bring him to the United States for criminal prosecution. As he alleges, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit concluded, the United States has already tried to seize him once in 2015, and it failed only when the Nigerian courts prevented the abduction.

United States law, specifically the Mansfield Act, expressly forbids the U.S. government from effecting the arrest of foreign nationals overseas in connection with narcotics investigations. Yet the trial court in Mr. Kashamu’s case stripped this law of any practical effect and allowed the government to conduct illegal foreign abductions without recourse when it held that the target of the illegal seizure could not sue to enforce the Mansfield Act.

Kashamu’s attorneys assert that both the process and outcome of this case are alarming. The Court of Appeals has in effect concluded, without ever allowing the presentation of a shred of evidence, that the United States government did, in fact, attempt to seize Kashamu, a foreign national in a foreign country, but did so in coordination with local government officials. The Court of Appeals thus concluded that Sen. Kashamu has no recourse in the U.S. courts to prevent further such efforts so long as they are coordinated with local government officials, and even when, as here, those officials are, in turn, violating the laws of their country.

“Despite repeated confirmation of Sen. Kashamu’s innocence from both the Nigerian and British courts, and despite repeated attempts by Senator Kashamu to take legal action in the U.S, the U.S. courts not only refuse to dismiss the indictment against Senator Kashamu, but they are sanctioning illegal kidnappings and threatening the rule of law,” said Matthew Piers. “This is particularly troubling in the current political environment in the United States, when our courts will have to play a critical role in defending the rule of law.”

Robert Cohen is a partner of the law firm Frankel and Cohen; Matthew Piers is a shareholder in the law firm of Hughes, Socol, Piers, Resnick and Dym.

Lin k to th e w rit of c e rtio ra ri : h t t p://h splegal.com/wp -con t en t /u ploa ds/2017/02/Ka sh a m u - P et it ion .pdf

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This Kashamu is an embarrassment to Nigeria.

I'm always vexed whenever it is stated during this his case that he is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This one he is now regularly using his position as a Senator to assert that they should leave him alone to concentrate on his public service job in Nigeria, it is obvious he fought his way to the senate just to use that as a further protection from his crime-ridden past.

NDLEA will do me a lot of good, if they can pursue thus case to vacate all the favourable judgements he got at the lower court, and then proceed to extradite him. Nobody should be above the law.

He should go to the US and clear his name. It is obvious he has something to hide, no wonder he is running from pillar to post.

Kashamu is a criminal as well as an embarrassment to this countries image and institutions! His actions have spoken louder than his voice for far too long! He will surely pay.....one day but not in naija!

All this criminals sekf

The Case of Senator Buruji Kashamu: A Brief Synopsis and Time Line

After two British Courts and multiple Nigerian courts exonerated him and repeatedly quashed attempts by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois to extradite him, lawyers for Nigerian Senator Buruji Kashamu continue to fight a nearly 18-year battle in the federal courts to end what has become a Kafkaesque nightmare built on the accusations of convicted heroin distributors who were involved with the also convicted story teller Piper Kerman (of Orange is the New Black notoriety).

Senator Kashamu’s troubles first began in 1998 when the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois added Senator Kashamu’s name to an indictment stemming from the 1994 O’Hare Airport arrest of Piper Kerman and indictment of 13 others accused of importing and distributing narcotics in the U.S.

From the beginning, Senator Kashamu has asserted that the accusations against him are a case of mistaken identity – an assertion that has been supported by the British Courts, INTERPOL, and multiple Nigerian Court rulings. In 1998, based on the indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in 1994, British authorities detained Senator Kashamu at the request of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (then Patrick Fitzgerald). As a result, over the next five years, Mr. Kashamu endured incarceration in Britain and two separate British Court proceedings, both of which affirmed that he was not the person involved with Piper Kerman and others as alleged, and that they had confused Sen. Kashamu with his brother, Adewale Kashamu.

The first court ruling, in December of 1999, accused the United States of suppressing exculpatory evidence in obtaining an arrest order against Senator Kashamu and, citing the misconduct of the United States Attorney’s office, revoked the extradition order it had earlier granted on the basis that the suppression of exculpatory evidence had rendered the proceedings in which the order was granted “unfair.”

Meanwhile, U.S. authorities before that ruling was delivered had reissued the warrant for Kashamu’s re-arrest and immediately had him re-arraigned before the Bow Street Magistrate Court in London, ostensibly on new identity evidence. This triggered a new trial, spanning the next three years, and involving voluminous documentary evidence, and several witnesses from West Africa, including top officers of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (an agency with a long history of close partnership with the UN DEA). The trial culminated in a ruling delivered on the 10th of January 2003, which found that Senator Kashamu was not the person involved in the 1994 heroin importation - the crime upon which his desired extradition was based – and that the U.S. authorities had again proffered false evidence to the British courts.

In 2003, Senator Kashamu returned to Nigeria where he resumed his business activities. As he succeeded in business and in politics in Nigeria, he also had to suffer an orchestrated barrage of political accusations involving the indictment in the U.S.

Determined to clear his name and bring normalcy to his life, in 2009 and 2013 Mr. Kashamu filed two successive applications in U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois to have the indictment quashed, first on the basis of the rulings of the British Courts as well as the fact that he had never even been to the United States let alone been involved in drug trafficking and second, based on the 6th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution that guarantees the right to a speedy trial. Up until this time, as admitted by the US authorities in the 2013 application, the US Government had made no further moves to have Kashamu extradited, citing their failure in the UK and the exoneration of Kashamu by the British Courts.

The District Court Judge, Charles Norgle, denied the two applications in opinions which found that the British judgments exonerating Kashamu should be ignored by the U.S. courts, and that the U.S. constitutional safeguard against undue delay in trial of criminal offenses would not apply to Kashamu.

Despite the hardships, in March of 2015, Mr. Kashamu became a democratically elected Nigerian national Senator, representing the Ogun East Senatorial District in Nigeria. Yet his success at the ballot box angered and emboldened his vanquished political adversaries who, according to court papers filed in both the U.S. and Nigeria, colluded to kidnap the newly elected senator and hand him over to U.S. agents for exportation to the U.S. to face the still pending indictment.

Kashamu immediately filed two different actions, one in Nigeria seeking restraining orders on the Nigerian law enforcement authorities to enjoin any collaboration with U.S. agents for his rendition as planned and the other, on the basis of the Mansfield Act, in the U.S. District Court seeking restraining orders on the U.S. DEA and Homeland Security officials to prohibit any attempt to arrest him in Nigeria.

The allegations in the lawsuit proved to be accurate when in May of 2015 the Senator’s home in Nigeria was invaded and occupied for six days by Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) under the direction of two United States agents, believed to be from the Drug Enforcement Administration (United States DEA).

Kashamu’s lawyers, in emergency proceedings in the already pending action in the Nigerian court, obtained an order halting the illegal abduction attempt. In Nigeria, two separate federal courts ordered the NDLEA to vacate Kashamu’s residence, and ruled that in light of the rulings of the British courts, Kashamu could not be extradited from Nigeria.

In Chicago, Kashamu’s legal counsel amended the complaint in the pending action to include the facts of the attempted abduction, and requested injunctive and declaratory relief to ensure any further abduction attempts by U.S. law enforcement officials against the Senator would be deemed illegal. That case was dismissed in the district court, and affirmed on appeal, and is now the subject of a petition to the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari.

Regardless of the orders of the Nigerian courts, the U.S. authorities in Nigeria have continued to express an intention to attempt to seize Senator Kashamu, and allegedly are continuing to conspire with the Senator’s political rivals. At the same time, despite repeated confirmations of innocence from both the Nigerian and the international community, and despite repeated attempts by the Senator to take legal action in the U.S. to clear his name, the U.S. Courts have declined to dismiss the indictment or take action to stop efforts to abduct him in violation of International, United States and Nigerian law.

For nearly two decades the Senator has battled in both Nigeria and the United States to clear his reputation and to be allowed to represent his constituents without the cloud of these allegations over his head.
A Time Line

Early 90’s - Kashamu owns Societe d’Egrenage Industrial de Coton du Benin – lucrative cotton manufacturer. Throughout UK detainment he also maintains he is an informant for the NDLEA.

1994 – Indictment is created against named conspirators involved in drug distribution ring in U.S.

1998 – Kashamu’s name is added to the indictment and he is incarcerated in London (Case No. 94 CR

U.S. v. Kashamu) pursuant to indictment pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

1999 – General Obasanjo becomes first Civilian president – PDP (People Democratic Party).

2000 – Extradition proceedings culminate in habeas corpus proceedings at the High Court of Justice, Queens Bench Division in London on October 6. Lord Justice Pill quashes the committal order because U.S. authorities had not disclosed the flawed ID process used to incriminate Kashamu. Immediately upon release, Kashamu is re-arrested because the U.S. had commenced a 2nd extradition proceeding before the high court’s verdict.

2003 – On Jan 10th Judge Tim Workman, Bow Street Magistrate Court in London – finds allegations against Kashamu to be a case of mistaken identity and that it was Kashamu’s brother who bore a "striking resemblance" to him who was the member of the alleged conspiracy which formed the basis for the indictment. Kashamu is released and moves to Nigeria.

2008 – INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) conducts investigation into Kashamu and determines he is not a wanted suspect. Kashamu begins exploring politics but is harassed by political rivals including those in the Attorney General’s Office and those who have ties with the Nigerian National Drug Enforcement Agency.

2009 – In the U.S. Kashamu’s lawyers file in the U.S. District Court of the Northern Illinois to dismiss indictment arguing that English Courts’ ruling should eliminate U.S. indictment. Norgle denies application.

2010 – In the U.S. Orange is the New Black is published. In Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan becomes third elected President in the Nigerian fourth Republic following the second President’s untimely death of cancer. Kashamu forms an alliance with the ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, as a leader of the ruling party in his home State, Ogun State.

2009-2012 – Kashamu creates political alliances with Jonathan and various members of the PDP, but gains both enemies and power as he works to democratize the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party). He falls out with Obasanjo on this basis too and immediately becomes the target of several attacks in the media, and the orchestrated plan is to have him removed from Nigeria.

2013 – Kashamu files second attempt to dismiss indictment in front of Judge Norgle based on a claim of 6th amendment right to a speedy trial. Norgle eventually denied and the decision was again affirmed by Judge Posner. Denial in U.S. Court emboldens Kashamu’s political rivals, including those who hold positions in law enforcement.
2014 – Kashamu brings second action against Nigerian law enforcement, AGF, and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (former Governor of Ogun State) claiming that based on the London Court ruling and the INTERPOL investigation, law enforcement and AGF can’t act against Kashamu pertaining to the US indictment. The court agreed and mandated Kashamu be left alone.

September – United State Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit denies petition for Writ of Mandamus (submitted Aug. 18, decided Sept. 15).

May - Norgle denies Kashamu’s motion to dismiss indictment based on violation of 5th and 6th amendment rights. United States allegedly began to make arrangements with Nigerian officials and powerful political figures in Nigeria to have Kashamu seized without proper legal authority and flown to the United States.

2015

March 29 – Kashamu is elected as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (PDP), representing the Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State. He defeats opponent Dapo Abiodun (All Progressives Congress, APC.) Mohammed Buhari – the former military head of state – is elected president.

April – Kashamu receives information that APC political rivals whom he vanquished in election and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo are colluding with the U.S. to remove Kashamu by force from Nigeria because of his election. Kashamu files suit in Nigeria to stop law enforcement collusion with his political adversaries and U.S. agents to abduct or extradite him.

April 17 - Nigerian Federal High Court grants interim injunction restraining Nigerian Federal Attorney General, NDLEA and other agencies in Nigeria from arresting or taking any steps against Kashamu until pending case is determined.

May 9 – In U.S., through attorneys, Kashumu files for injunctive relief from imminent danger.

May 4 – Alleged extradition request (diplomatic note) from the United States supported by affidavit from Diane MacArthur, Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois is sent to the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister instead of AG, violating normal protocol.

May 22 – In U.S., Kashamu’s case is moved from Executive Committee and reassigned to Norgle because of the pending 1998 case.

May 23 – Kashamu’s house is surrounded by Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) agents allegedly working under the direction of U.S. DEA and ICE agents armed with an illegally issued provisional warrant.

May 26 – Lawyers for Kashamu demand arrest warrant, and when NDLEA cannot provide any recourse to the court in the pending matter to enforce interim restraining order by contempt application, Kashamu is brought against the Attorney General of Nigeria and the NDLEA.

Federal High Court Lagos Division declares that attempted kidnapping and attempt at extradition are illegal and orders NDLEA to vacate Kashamu’s premises.
May 27 – Judgement delivered in substantive proceedings declaring attempts against Kashamu, whether by abduction/rendition or by extradition, as illegal and restrains Nigerian Federal Attorney General and NDLEA from further attempts at abducting or extraditing Kashamu.

May 28 – NDLEA and two U.S. agents vacated the premises while Nigerian AG files formal extradition proceedings seeking a new arrest warrant. Federal Judge denies request for warrant and fixes application for hearing on the merits.

June 6 – In U.S., Kashamu’s motion to transfer his case to the Executive Committee for reassignment is denied by Judge Norgle.

July 1– Nigerian federal court dismisses the Attorney General’s extradition application and rules that there shall be no further attempts at arresting Kashamu or taking his property.

July 10 – In U.S., first amended Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory relief is filed.

August 14 – In U.S., Memo in support of Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint is filed.

2016

November 18 - Appeal of Kashamu’s case is submitted to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

2017

January 23 – U.S. Appellate Court Judge Richard Posner upholds a lower court’s decision to toss out Senator Kashamu’s lawsuit against the American government.

Despite previous verdicts from Great Britain and Nigerian courts exonerating Kashamu, the decision provides no recourse preventing the U.S. from abducting and extraditing him for criminal prosecution.

February 7 – A petition for a writ of certiorari is filed asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review and reverse the January 23 ruling.

Monumental national embarrassment

Cough! Voluminous criminal in the house.. Can he go to US to proof all these jargons he has put on papers ? If talk i na the mode will ban me my original Monika dey recession courtesy nairaland mode.

agabusta:
This Kashamu is an embarrassment to Nigeria.

I'm always vexed whenever it is stated during this his case that he is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This one he is now regularly using his position as a Senator to assert that they should leave him alone to concentrate on his public service job in Nigeria, it is obvious he fought his way to the senate just to use that as a further protection from his crime-ridden past.

NDLEA will do me a lot of good, if they can pursue thus case to vacate all the favourable judgements he got at the lower court, and then proceed to extradite him. Nobody should be above the law.

He should go to the US and clear his name. It is obvious he has something to hide, no wonder he is running from pillar to post.

Since the original charges were filed, two courts in Great Britain have determined that the evidence presented by the U.S. was insufficient to warrant his extradition and that the charges were the product of a case of mistaken identity.


From the onset, Senator Kashamu has asserted the accusations against him are a case of mistaken identity, an assertion that has been supported by two British Courts, INTERPOL, and multiple Nigerian Court rulings.


We may not all like Kashamu because of his style of politics, but he deserves justice just like any other Nigerian. The British courts have looked at this case twice and came to the same conclusion that the Americans have no case and Kashamu won't get a fair hearing if extradited to the US. The interpol and several Courts in Nigeria also supported the decision of the British courts. So, if the neutral British refused to hand over Kashamu to the US, why are we Nigerians so eager to throw him under the bus? Politics?

We must learn to look at issues and take a pragmatic position always. What I see in your comment is just sentiments and emotions. Kashamu deserves justice and it is within his right to appeal any unfavourable judgement legally. There is no embarrassment in someone pursuing his case legally in court.

Lool .. The life of crime sha ... No rest of mind


Meanwhile, If you have Amazon and iTunes gift cards for sale..I'm interested. Check my signature to contact me

seunmsg:


Since the original charges were filed, two courts in Great Britain have determined that the evidence presented by the U.S. was insufficient to warrant his extradition and that the charges were the product of a case of mistaken identity.


From the onset, Senator Kashamu has asserted the accusations against him are a case of mistaken identity, an assertion that has been supported by two British Courts, INTERPOL, and multiple Nigerian Court rulings.


We may not all like Kashamu because of his style of politics, but he deserves justice just like any other Nigerian. The British courts have looked at this case twice and came to the same conclusion that the Americans have no case and Kashamu won't get a fair hearing if extradited to the US. The interpol and several Courts in Nigeria also supported the decision of the British courts. So, if the neutral British refused to hand over Kashamu to the US, why are we Nigerians so eager to throw him under the bus? Politics?

We must learn to look at issues and take a pragmatic position always. What I see in your comment is just sentiments and emotions. Kashamu deserves justice and it is within his right to appeal any unfavourable judgement legally. There is no embarrassment in someone pursuing his case legally in court.

No Nigerian court has given him a clean bill. Oga get your facts right. He only got an injunction.

MUCH ADO ABOUT A NONEXISTENT EXTRADICTION.

Politics is the most vicious and complicated human business. It is more so because the resulting powers it confers intoxicating and far-reaching in effects. It takes interesting dimensions of the ridiculous & absurdities in poverty economies like ours, where political power is law on itself!!! The rights of the pple to freely aspire in a democracy without qualifying prerequisites complicates issues when misfits cut corners and labour to achieve their utopian wishes in desperation. Such scenery can be frustrating and painfully annoying but it's the price we have to contend with in a democracy. In truth, we know the brains behind the satanic political clamour for the unjust and unjustifiable extradition that NO law world over can sustain except resort to illegal and ungodly abduction which shall continue to fail by God's grace. .

On the adherence to rule of law, we shall continue to request and align. That being so, the SPBK position on the purpoted US indictment is impressive and commendable fight for one's fundamental rights as human being. It's the more glorifying coming from a 3rd world country citizen!!! It takes the deep to call to the deep thus it requires being conversant with international realities to appreciate the vissitudes of winning a court case in Europe or America by a black African. The rantings and wishful antics of local clowns acting as political adversaries of SPBK over a senseless extradition call should thus be viewed with sympathy for the ignorant compounded by inordinate lust for undeserved political office and power.

Aside the multiple SPBK judicial victories, internationally and locally, the question begging for answer is the interests of Ogun politicians in the illegal and callous treatment of their citizen It's sacrosanct that a dismissed extradition case which has been previously lost twice by the US in UK which is undoubtedly the universal closest ally to them, brings Nigeria to world ridicule if entertained without due process, importantly when all SPBK is requesting is equity and justice.

The inheritors of this shameful callous clamour should remember the woeful failure and colossal public resources wastes incurred by once upon a time Ogun state govt on same matter. It is expected that they realign their futile efforts towards their utopian political dream and stop heating the polity. They are the same pple reporting a nonexistent meeting between SPBK and APC high leadership over an imaginary dumping of the PDP. All these put together confirms that SPBK is the main issue politically in today's Ogun state. It's better they face the reality rather these misfortune seeking route they're indulging in now for close to a decade, in and out of government. The political movement of SPBK and his allies are divinely secured and of growing dominant relevance that can't be wished away. Our strength lies with the Almighty God.

Extradition: SANs Tackle US, NDLEA Over Kashamu




Posted on Feb 1 2017 - 2:59am by Wale Elegbede





Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Lateef Fagbemi, Alex Izinyon and Akin Olujimi, yesterday described as illegal any attempt to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States of America. Fagbemi, Izinyon and Olujimi, in a joint statement, said the United States and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) would be overstepping their bounds by attempting to extradite the senator.

The SANs said: “The US did not appeal against any of the two UK judgments in favour of our client.

The judgments therefore, remain binding against the US and Nigeria forever. Rather than appeal against those judgments, what the US did next was to latch on to the conducive atmosphere in Nigeria brewed by the political enemies of our client, who even though aware that the US had lost out twice in UK courts against our client, mounted unholy pressure on the former Attorney General to commence extradition proceedings against our client.

He was therefore forced to approach the courts in Nigeria for redress.

Just as the English courts had ruled in his favour, four different courts in four different suits in Lagos and Abuja found in favour of the Senator.
Notwithstanding the various subsisting decisions referred to above given by English and Nigerian courts all outlawing the extradition of our client, the NDLEA is, in clear disobedience of the various judgments, still plotting clandestinely with other security agencies at the behest of US agents to forcibly abduct our client and smuggle him to the US.”

The legal practitioners noted further that: “Our client’s US lawyers had filed the suit under a law of the United States which the District court in the US held did not create a private right of action. Our client’s US solicitors appealed against the decision of the District Court in 2016.

It was that appeal that the US Court of Appeals pronounced upon on 23rd January, 2017 by affirming the decision of the District Court which held that the statute ‘did not create a private right of action’. In other words, it is not open to any individual to predicate a suit on the statute.

Clearly, that was not a decision on the merit of the issues submitted to the court.
We are in agreement with the court that mere presence of a US employee during an arrest by local officials in a foreign land and even assisting the local officials in an arrest will not amount to attempted abduction.

What was not put before the US court of appeals for determination and which the court did not decide is a situation where the local courts in the foreign land had given express orders prohibiting arrest, abduction and/or detention, as done by the Federal High Court in its judgments prohibiting the NDLEA and other security operatives from arresting or removing and exporting our client to the US.”

Report that Exonerated Prince Kashamu from the purported drug offence in USA

Setting the record straight;

The report stated, insofar as is material, that on 8 February 1999, Fillmore viewed a photo lineup for the purpose of identifying Kashamu. The meeting was held in the US Attorney 's office.

An officer of the attorney had received a copy of an arrest photograph of Kashamu from another officer. The report continues that the officer:

" Took the copy of the arrest photograph of Kashamu and placed in the DEA form 470, photo identification folder, with seven photographs of black males.

These black males had similar facial hair and were the approximate age of Kashamu. This photo line up was shown to Fillmore. Fillmore provided the following statements: 'it is not jumping out at me., I know what the man looks like.' Fillmore further stated that photograph 03 looked like a bad photograph of him. Photos 2, 4, 6,7 and 8 did not look like him at all. Fillmore stated that 05 looked a lot like him but did not look like him. Fillmore ruled out photograph 01. Fillmore stated that 05 looked the closest to Alhaji"

That is the name which Fillmore knew his co-conspirator.

"The arrest photograph of Kashamu was placed in position 07 of the photo lineup. "
And the case was thrown out.

Back home in Nigeria, there are several other court judgements that also exonerated Prince Kashamu.

It stand against logic and laughable when supposed knowledgeable set of people begin to think their continuous wailing on social media platforms can overrule decision of competent courts of jurisdiction.

When you have a good case in your hand, you stand a good chance of coming out victorious from the courtroom.

The jury in UK have spoken; Kashamu has no case to answer.

The judges in Nigeria have spoken; Kashamu has no case to answer.

The US judgement can't overrule that of UK and Nigeria. Nigeria is a sovereign state and not a Banana Republic where anything goes.

I rise.

South-West PDP youth leaders urge FG to follow due process in Kashamu’s case

From Hameed Oyegbade, Osogbo

The youth leaders of the People’s Democratic Party in the South-West states have called on the Federal Government to adhere strictly to due process in handling the allegation of involvement in drug related offences in the United States that was levelled against the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Buruji Kashamu.  

The youth leaders of PDP from Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states, Comrade Bamidele Seyi, Comrade Yinka Sotade, Honourable Segun Aboko, Hononurable Femi Alao, Honourable Obafemi Olajide and Honourable Idowu Taiwo resolved to lend their voices to the matter because of indication that the Senator might be persecuted with the manner the matter was being twisted. 

According to a press statement issued by the youth leaders of the South-West state chapters of PDP which was made available to journalists in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, today, they appealed to the Federal Government to caution the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Department of State Service (DSS) to follow the due process in Kashamu’s matter.  

The PDP youth leaders said “If there are allegations against Kashamu, he should be allowed to defend himself and that the trial should follow due process. We oppose the plot to extradite the senator to the US to face trial where they wanted to nail him over offences he did not commit.”

“We expect the Nigerian government and its agencies to follow the global practice in handling this kind of matter. We urge our government at the centre to discourage its agencies from collaborating with mischief makers who wanted to indict Senator Kashamu.”

The PDP youth also appealed to the media to remain objective reporting Kashamu’s case so as not to misinform the public on the true situation about the matter. They called on the Nigerian Bar Association to advice government and its justice dispensation bodies on the proper way to handle the situation.

The PDP youth vowed to mobilise social political groups, students’ union bodies and youth groups in the South-West to stage massive protest if the federal government and its agencies attempt to extradite Kashamu to the US unjustly.

They noted that Kashamu has invested hugely on youth empowerment in the South West and should be appreciated rather than extradited.

“Senator Kashamu’s has made huge investment in various youth empowerment schemes which have assisted many youths to become entrepreneurs through different trainings, local and foreign sponsorship for education. He has also given medical aid to many people, assisted many widows and the aged.

According to the statement, “We have decided at our level firstly as PDP Youth and secondly as responsible leaders of tomorrow to break our silence on the unrepentant ill-use of the media for gross misinformation of the Nigerian populace about Senator Kashamu Buruji who has proven by all standards to be a law abiding and responsible citizen of Nigeria

“It is imperative to remind ourselves and the people of this great nation that Nigeria is not a banana Republic; we are a sovereign State and we have own laws and as such we are not as a nation at the mercy of the manipulation by any other country.

“We wish to unequivocally condemn the witch-hunting of Senator Buruji Kashamu by faceless and intellectually weak political bigots and their collaborators within the system who have together made several attempts at undermining our local legal system and the rule of law.

“We make bold to assert that the obvious reasons for the several unfounded and intellectually dislocated allegations and propaganda is the 2019 Elections; more so because of the innumerable philanthropic strides of the legislator which has become a threat to politicians who for all their public leadership life and experience have feasted on the woes and peril of the citizenry

“It is noteworthy to state that Senator Kashamu has become the only succour to the youths in South/Western Nigeria. This without any doubt has made a lot of downtrodden to agree that there is a possibility of achieving good leadership in our zone again.

“We therefor call on the Federal Government to safeguard our national integrity and image by looking into the matter of Senator Kashamu with sincerity and discourage the sinister agenda of some faceless politicians who are raising false allegation against Senator Kashamu”, the PDP youth leaders said.

seunmsg:


Since the original charges were filed, two courts in Great Britain have determined that the evidence presented by the U.S. was insufficient to warrant his extradition and that the charges were the product of a case of mistaken identity.


From the onset, Senator Kashamu has asserted the accusations against him are a case of mistaken identity, an assertion that has been supported by two British Courts, INTERPOL, and multiple Nigerian Court rulings.


We may not all like Kashamu because of his style of politics, but he deserves justice just like any other Nigerian. The British courts have looked at this case twice and came to the same conclusion that the Americans have no case and Kashamu won't get a fair hearing if extradited to the US. The interpol and several Courts in Nigeria also supported the decision of the British courts. So, if the neutral British refused to hand over Kashamu to the US, why are we Nigerians so eager to throw him under the bus? Politics?

We must learn to look at issues and take a pragmatic position always. What I see in your comment is just sentiments and emotions. Kashamu deserves justice and it is within his right to appeal any unfavourable judgement legally. There is no embarrassment in someone pursuing his case legally in court.

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If the British courts and INTERPOL have found him not guilty, the U.S courts should just abide by the rulings.

agabusta:


No Nigerian court has given him a clean bill. Oga get your facts right. He only got an injunction.

The attorney general filled an extradition case that was dismissed. Check Orikinla's post. Beside, two British courts already ruled on the case and the US didn't bother to appeal because they have no case. The interpol investigated the case and came to the same conclusion as the two British courts that the US have no case against Kashamu. Still, you want him to go to US to face a system that will never be fair to him. You think you know better than the British courts and interpol? No. Kashamu is going no where. I don't like Kashamu but I will never support injustice against a Nigerian citizen. If the British could protect and defend Kashamu's rights, I wonder why some Nigerians are pushing for his illegal extradition. It makes no sense.

Orikinla1:
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If the British courts and INTERPOL have found him not guilty, the U.S courts should just abide by the rulings.

My exact position.

The distinguished Senator Buruji Kashamu is expected to exercise all legal means to protect himself from conspiracy of his adversaries and injustice of any kind. It is observed that some powerful forces that are hellbent on making him suffer multiple injuries on a case he had been exonerated of after been detain and tried by two British courts.

I wonder how many Americans has been subjected to this kind of victimization, if at all American still has any issue against him, it is more civilized to send their legal team here and observe whatever legal steps in Nigeria here, the Nigeria masses should join the crusade to resist the victimization of our own people

Not

I always shake my head for some elements here who always indicted Senator Buruji Kashamu without remember that they av future to pursue. Can America do that to their citizen? Are we colonize by America? Why let down our citizens because of America who doesn't care about Nigeria? What av America done in helping Nigeria to quench Kidnapping and that of Boko Haram Insurgency instead, you will hear empty promises? America should also respect Rule of Law and stop Rubbish within the International Communities.

American should hav enough respect to our Nation and our Nigerian Court Of Competent jurisdiction Judgements either good or bad because for US Government to av withheld vital evidence that exonerate our son Senator Kashamu before the British Courts definitely they mean bad and not ready to be guided by rule of law and that shows they believe the black men and women are nothing.

The question which comes to heart is if certain people are scared of the petition which might be nemesis. I don't see anything wrong Sen. Kashamu petitions the US on the case. The said case had been tried twice in the UK which it was said that the NDLEA was a witness to while Kashamu was awarded damages for incancerating him for 4 good years of a crime he did not commit, the the case was not appealed for over 14years. Another question which comes to heart is, would the UK fiddle records or support a black man (kashamu) at the detriment of a fellow European nation (US)?

U.S. should not be allowed to bully an elected Nigerian senator.
Will they allow Nigeria to do that to an American citizen.

I can see the handwriting of the political adversaries of Senator Buruji Kashamu here. People are sentimental in their frivolous comments here and in their devilish wish for the Senator. In so many times we have been informing the public that on two different occasions that British court had exonerated the people's Senator from the alleged drug case while the US agents and their sound lawyers were all presented during the court proceedings. It was Senator Buruji's political adversaries that can not stand his political style that are now feeding the US with wrong information just to help them kidnap/abduct him so that they can have their stand in the political field.

The US must respect and bow to the rule of law. They should leave the people's Senator alone. To adversaries,you shall all reap what you are planting against Senator Buruji Kashamu In Shaa Allah.

Kasamu case is obviously politically motivated. Imagine an office alleged to have committed over 23years ago and powerful Nigerians refuse to let it die regardless of different court judgements against their political will.

ERockson:
Kasamu case is obviously politically motivated. Imagine an office alleged to have committed over 23years ago and powerful Nigerians refuse to let it die regardless of different court judgements against their political will.

OBJ has scores to settle with him.
One thing about OBJ is he does not like to lose a battle.
You can ask Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.

Lawyers accuse fugitive Nigerian senator of threats to life - Premium Times Nigeria
https://www.google.com.ng/amp/www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/222275-lawyers-accuse-fugitive-nigerian-senator-threats-life.html/amp