The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Friday said is continuing moves
to extradite a financier of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, Mr.
Buruji Kashamu, to the United States for alleged drug-related offences.
Kashamu is a senator representing Ogun-East Senatorial District at the National
Assembly.
The anti-narcotics agency said it is appealing the various orders and court
injunctions granted the senator, which are preventing his arrest and extradition.
The NDLEA had been at daggers drawn with Kashamu over a claim by the
agency that it received a request from the American government seeking the
extradition of the PDP leader to answer drug-related charges.
The agency, in what it tagged, ‘house arrest’, had deployed its operatives in the
Lekki, Lagos, residence of the politician for six days before they were withdrawn,
following a court order.
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.
Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday, the Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the agency had approached the courts to vacate all orders
granted Kashamu. He stated that the agency would follow all legal means to
ensure that Kashamu was extradited.
Ofoyeju said, “He (Kashamu) went to court to seek several orders. We have
appealed those orders. The matters have not been determined. We are in court.”
The NDLEA spokesman explained that Kashamu had built several legal walls to
prevent the agency from arresting to him.
“For instance, the warrant of arrest we obtained from the court, he set it aside
(through a court). Then, the suit the Attorney-General of the Federation filed;
the motion for his extradition, he also went to court to set it aside. The AGF is
appealing that order and we are appealing ours. The cases are already in court.”
Ofoyeju said the NDLEA was not to witch-hunt Kashamu, claiming that the
agency had been requested by the American government to extradite him.
He said, “We have the formal request from the United States,’ asking for his
extradition. We have that and we went to obtain a warrant of arrest which he
got an order to set aside. He got so many court orders; we are now appealing
those orders to enable us to follow due process.
“We cannot use the legal process to impede his extradition process. If he says
he believes in the rule of law, we are going to follow it up to a logical
conclusion.”
Copyright PUNCH.

Then be snappy about it

EFCC-Kashamu Part 2.

Timaya should be warming up in case..

At least, Kashamu's extradition wouldn't be seen as witch-hunt.