The Senator representing Ogun East
Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu,
who was hailed by his colleagues while
taking his oaths during the
inauguration of the Eighth Senate, on
Tuesday, was conspicuously absent
during plenary on Wednesday.
Kashamu, who was recently in the
news following the attempt by the
National Drugs Law Enforcement
Agency to arrest him over alleged
drug related dealings in the United
States, stole the show on the floor of
the Senate when called upon to take
his oath.
The Ogun State senator acknowledged
cheers from his colleagues and
spectators at the gallery as he walked
slowly to the Clerk’s table, signed
necessary documents, before he
proceeded to shake hands with the
senate president.
The ovation was loudest when
Kashamu was returning to his seat and
his colleagues stood up and took turn
to shake hands with him.
The senator was however not at
Wednesday’s inauguration of the pro-
Ahmed Lawan’s senators conducted by
the Senate President, Dr. Bukola
Saraki.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA said on
Wednesday that it had not given up on
ensuring Kashamu’s extradition to the
US to face trial for alleged drug-
related offences.
The NDLEA, Head of Public Affairs, Mr.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Wednesday said
the agency had complied with the
court orders in respect of the case.
Ofoyeju, however, said the agency
would explore legal means to achieve
its aim.
He said, “We have obeyed court orders
and he (Kashamu) had been sworn in.
But the case is not over. He had gone
to court to seek several orders to
stop the NDLEA from proceeding with
his extradition but we shall explore
legal steps in the pursuit of the case
to a logical end.”
The agency had been at daggers
drawn with the Peoples Democratic
Party chieftain over a claim by the
former that it received an order from
the US government, demanding that he
be extradited over drug- related
offences.
In what it tagged ‘house arrest’, the
NDLEA had drafted scores of its
operatives to Kashamu’s house in
Lekki, Lagos State for six days before
they were withdrawn, following court
orders.
A Federal High Court in Lagos, had in
separate rulings, restrained the
NDLEA and any other agencies in the
country from unlawfully arresting and
forcefully extraditing the Ijebu-born
politician to the US.
source: www.punchng.com/news/embattled-kashamu-absent-from-senate-session-on-wednesday/