Kashamu Asks Court To Stop IGP, From Extraditing Him To US

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday fixed May 8 to hear an application filed by controversial Lagos-based businessman, Prince Buruju Kashamu, seeking to stop his extradition to the United States of America on alleged drug-related offences.

Buruju, who is the senator-elect for Ogun East senatorial district under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had dragged the inspector-general of police and 11 others before the court, asking the court to enforce his fundamental human right to freedom of movement.

Other respondents in the fundamental rights suit are: Chairman, Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), director general, Department of State Security (DSS), The Interpol, National Central Bureau (NCB) and attorney-general of the federation (AGF).

Others include: The clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, The National Security Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Nigeria Custom Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The politician is specifically urging the court for an order restraining the defendants and their agents from arresting, detaining, or otherwise effecting his abduction upon spurious allegations.

He is also seeking an order directing the clerk of the National Assembly to accord him every facility and privilege due to him as a senator-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Kashamu further wants a declaration that arrangements being made by the defendants in collusion with United States of America security operatives in West Africa and his political opponents led by General Olusegun Obasanjo to abduct him, and forcibly transport him to USA on the basis of allegations which had been the subject of investigation by Interpol and litigation in a competent court in the United Kingdom concerning him from which he had been exonerated are illegal, unlawful, ultra vires and constitute breach of his fundamental Rights to freedom of movement as enshrined in section 41 of constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.