NEWS
Kashamu’s extradition: Court awards N50,000 each to DSS, NDLEA
A Federal High
Court in Lagos on Thursday awarded N50,000 each in favour of the
Director-General, State Security Service (DSS) and the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in a suit instituted by Sen. Buruji Kashamu.
Kashamu is seeking
to stop his extradition to the United States, to face drug-related charges.
Kashamu, a Senator
representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, had in his
suit labelled FHC/L/CS/930/2018, joined the following as respondents: The
Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Lagos Police Command,
Director General, State Security Service (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency NDLEA, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
He is urging the
court to restrain the respondents and their agents from arresting or detaining
him, in any manner whatsoever, or interfering with his right to personal
liberty and freedom of movement.
In a ruling,
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, gave the order, following the absence of the
Kashamu’s lawyer, Mrs Ifeoma Esom.
Justice Aneke asked
Mr O.Bajela who appeared and J.N. Sunday who appeared for the DSS and NDLEA if
they had seen a letter from the plaintiff counsel, seeking adjournment over
another case she had at the Court of Appeal.
Responding, they
expressed dissatisfaction over the frequent adjournment, on the grounds that
the case had been adjourned severally at the instance of the plaintiff.
He added that it
was the case of the plaintiff and they ought to exhibit diligence.
Consequently, the
third defence counsel urged the court to award a cost of N100,000 in its favour
against the plaintiff.
In the same vein,
fourth defence counsel also asked for a cost of N200,000 against the plaintiff.
Justice Aneke
awarded a cost of N50,000 each in favour of third and fourth defendants and
adjourned the case until Oct. 31 for hearing..
NAN reports that
Aneke had taken arguments in the suit from respective parties and had reserved
his judgment until April 29.
On April 29,
judgment could not be delivered in the suit as the period fell within the
Easter vacation, and the court did not sit.
Recall that on May
10, the case was set down for hearing on June 6.
In a supporting
affidavit, the applicant averred that by a newspaper publication, the Attorney
General of the Federation was reported to have said that the U.S. Government
had been told to make fresh request for his extradition after the former
proceedings were dismissed.
He averred that, in
a proceeding instituted in England by the U.S. authorities between 2002 and
2003, it was established that he was not the one implicated in the alleged
narcotics offence committed in the U.S. in 1994.
He said that
consequently, he was not the person sought after by the U.S. authorities.
Kashamu, is,
therefore, urging the court to restrain the respondents and their agents from
arresting or detaining him in any manner whatsoever, or interfering with the
applicants’ right to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, in a
preliminary objection, deposed to by one Kareem Olayinka, the NDLEA averred
that authorities of the United States are currently seeking to extradite the
applicant to their country, to answer charges relating to Heroine trafficking.
He said that the
U.S. government then made a request to the Nigerian government, for the
applicant to be extradited sometime in May 2015.
The Agency said
that since Kashamu got wind of the extradition request, he has filed
multiplicity of lawsuits relating to the issue.
He averred that in
all these actions the basic relief sought, is a restraining order against the
NDLEA, from arresting and extraditing him to the U.S.
According to the
NDLEA, this suit does not disclose any cause of action against the respondent,
adding that the multiplicity of the action by the applicant against the NDLEA
is intended to divert its energy and attention from discharging its mandate to
the nation.
He, avers,
therefore, that the NDLEA needs the protection of the court to stop this trend,
as the applicant is only engaged in shopping for a forum that will grant his
desired reliefs.
The Agency is,
therefore, asking the court to dismiss the suit
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA,
has arrested two persons for being in possession of hard drugs in Awka.