Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have said Senator, Buruji Kashamu will not be extradited to face drug-related offences in the United States until all court actions in respect of his extradition are resolved.
Both the AGF and the NDLEA gave the indication in the court processes they filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kashamu who is representing Ogun West in the Senate had dragged the two agencies before the court seeking their committal to prison over allegation that they were planning to forcibly kidnap and abduct him to the US for trial in drug-related offences.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Kashamu told Justice Gabriel Kolawole through his counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), that the AGF and NDLEA have agreed not to extradite him until all court actions on the issue have been resolved.
Olujimi said in view of the assurances from the two parties, there was no need to pursue any court action against them at the Federal High Court level.
He applied to Kolawole to grant him leave to withdraw the suit against the AGF and NDLEA in view of the assurances not to extradite him to US until all cases are fully resolved.
The counsel told the judge that both parties would now go back to the Court of Appeal to continue with the appeal cases that emanated from the refusal of the Federal High Courts to grant the extradition request.
Counsel to the AGF, Mr. Tanko Ashang, a Deputy Director and Head of Central Authority in the Federal Ministry of Justice and that of the NDLEA, Mr. Mike Kassa, did not object to the withdrawal of the case and the resolve to go to the Appeal Court to pursue all pending appeals.
Justice Kolawole in his brief ruling granted the leave for the withdrawal of the suit and the decision to shift to the court of appeal for the pursuit of the appeals.
“In the light of the application of the applicant to withdraw this suit and to move to Court of Appeal to pursue all pending appeals in respect of the extradition matter, leave is hereby granted for withdrawal of this suit.â€
Kashamu had filed an application in court seeking the committal of the AGF and NDLEA to prison for allegedly making plans to forcibly abduct and transport him to America.
