The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said that an order issued by a federal court, Tuesday, directing its personnel to vacate Buruji Kashamu’s home, would not stop it from performing its statutory responsibilities “in a lawful manner”.
Buruji Kashamu is a prominent member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator-elect for Ogun East. - He is wanted in the United States for drug related offences.
A Court sitting in Lagos on Monday issued a ruling ordering NDLEA operatives to vacate the house of Mr. Kashamu who which they had laid a siege on since the early hours of Saturday, .
The NDLEA said its operatives placed Mr. Kashamu under house arrest after it received a formal extradition request from the U.S.
On Monday, Mr. Kashamu failed to appear for the extradition hearing, with his lawyers claiming that the anti-narcotics agency did not have a court warrant for the house arrest. But in a reaction to the vacation order, the NDLEA said it had not received the court order and described media reports of the judge’s decision as “diversionary and inconsequential”.
“The NDLEA does not believe that any court will issue an order preventing a government agency from performing its statutory responsibilities in a lawful manner,” Mitchell Ofoyeju, the agency’s spokesperson said in a statement.
“The agency has therefore refused to be distracted and will continue to maintain presence at the residence. It is advisable that Kashamu respects the law by submitting himself to the due process of the law.
“The NDLEA wishes to reiterate that his rights like that of other citizens shall be respected and the due process of law followed in this case.
The NDLEA spokesperson insisted that the agency had received a formal request from the United States Government for Mr. Kashamu’s extradition.
He also said that contrary to the claims by Mr. Kashamu’s lawyers, that the agency has a provisional Warrant of Arrest on him.
“According to official record, Kashamu has been a target of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for over 20 years and was further indicted by the Grand Jury in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on heroin trafficking charges,” Mr. Ofoyeju said.
