Court Refuses Kashamu’s Application to Stop His Extradition to US

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused an application by Senator Buruji Kashamu to restrain the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police (NPF) from arresting and extraditing him to the United States.

Kashamu, a senator representing Ogun East, had through his lawyer, Godswill Mrakpor, filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit and accompanied it with a motion ex-parte for injunction.

He asked the court to restrain the respondents from taking steps to arrest him pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Yesterday, Justice Okon Abang declined to grant an ex-parte injunction.
Instead, the judge ordered that the respondents be served with the motion and for them to attend court on the next adjourned date to show cause why Kashamu’s prayers, as contained in the ex-parte application, should not be granted.

Kashamu, in a supporting affidavit, stated that the security agencies are acting based on a “politically-motivated petition” authored by one Oladipupo Adebutu from Ogun State.
He alleged that there were moves to arrest him and transport him to the US to face drug-related charges.

Kashamu argued that the move to arrest and extradict him was contrary to the orders earlier made by the Lagos division of the Federal High Court in two suits marked: FHC/ L/CS/49/2010 and FHC/L/CS/508/2015 which he had filed on the same issue.
Justice Abang adjourned to September 8 for hearing.