NDLEA Denies Taking Steps to Extradite Kashamu

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that it had not taken any action on the request of the United States of America to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu.

Counsel to the agency, Mike Kassa, informed the court that contrary to the claims of the senator that moves were being made against him, the NDLEA had abided by the order of another court that status quo be maintained for now.

Kashamu, who represents Ogun East in the Senate, had through his counsel, Olusegun Odubela SAN, prayed the court to make order against NDLEA not to arrest his client since he had already instituted a court action on his fundamental rights to liberty.

Specifically, Odubela asked the court to compel the agency to make undertaken before the court that no action would be taken against Kashamu, especially arrest for the purpose of extradition.

But Justice Ahmed Mohammed reminded Odubela that he had on May 30, declined to grant order of Interim Injunction during an ex parte application and that he would not overrule himself.

However, following persistent demand by Odubela for the court to make a categorical statement, the NDLEA lawyer cut in and explained to the judge that his client was not making any move in the direction of fears repeatedly expressed by Kashamu.

The counsel informed the court that the ruling of Justice Babatunde Quadri on June 4 on the status quo subsisted and was being obeyed by the NDLEA.

Justice Mohammed however adjourned the matter to October 18 to enable NDLEA respond to the originating summons of Kashamu filed against the AGF and the agency.

In the originating summons, Kashamu had prayed the court to stop the Federal government from extraditing him to America on the grounds that such action would lead to the breach of his fundamental rights to freedom of liberty.

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