Lagos (The Bloom Gist) — The exclusive court papers revealing Senator-Elect Kashamu’s latest attempt to avoid extradition to the United States for drug-related charges have been liked to The Bloom Gist. The documents, submitted to the court by his lawyer Ajibola Oluyede, demand his unconditional release from house arrest and for the NDLEA to vacate all his properties.
This is the latest development in a series of dramatic events that culminated in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency agents surrounding the Lagos residence of Senator-Elect Buruji Kashamu this past Saturday morning. The US has outstanding legal charges against Mr. Kashamu for trafficking narcotics through the O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois throughout the 1990s. Mr. Kashamu was held briefly in the United Kingdom, but was eventually released. Mr. Kashamu was due to be sworn in as Senator from Ogun State this coming Friday, but it is unclear whether these latest legal challenges will interfere with those proceedings.
According Mr. Oluyede, who spoke, Mr. Kashamu has been held under house arrest illegally since Saturday and has been denied freedom of movement. “The NDLEA has no warrant to arrest or detain Kashamu, and they have no legal authority to hold him under the Extradition Act. Only a warrant issued by a judge would grant them [NDLEA] the authority for that. They [the NDLEA and Attorney General’s Office] are trying to file a request now,” Mr. Oluyede said.
Mr. Kashamu was due to appear in court today but was not present. A NDLEA press release said that, “the Agency is working hard to ensure that he [Mr. Kashamu] submits himself to the due process of the law.”
The motion is demanding that the Attorney General and NDLEA “show cause by a statement of oath within 48 hours…[on] why the court should not find them guilty of criminal contempt as charged in this application.”
The motion also says that the actions by the NDLEA, under approval of AG Mohammed Adoke, are illegal because the court has not ruled on the Originating Motion on Notice, which outlines the charges against Mr. Kashamu.
Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, the Head of Public Affairs at the NDLEA, told The BloomGist earlier that the NDLEA is “acting legally” and that “Kashamu’s fundamental human rights are being respected” including his freedom of movement. During an interview, Mr. Mitchell said, “people are free to go to Mr. Kashamu’s residence” and that “What is important is we’ve placed him under house arrest. He has the right to interact with family and his attorneys. He only has to appear in court on Monday.”
The Attorney General’s Office could not be reached for comment at this time.
The exclusive court documents can be viewed here:
