Court validates judgment restraining Kashamu’s extradition

A federal high court in Lagos has validated the judgment restraining any extradition process against Buruji Kashamu, the lawmaker representing Ogun east senatorial district.

Ibrahim Buba, the presiding judge, gave the ruling in a contempt application which Kashamu filed against the attorney general of the federation (AGF) and the chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Buba said an order made by Okon Abang, another judge of the court, subsists and must be complied with until set aside by a superior court.

Abang had nullified the provisional warrant of arrest secured by the NDLEA against Kashamu before a federal high court in Abuja.

He also declared that no extradition proceedings could commence against Kashamu until the judgment of the court was appealed against and set aside by the court of appeal.

However, while determining the merit of the contempt application, Buba held that since Abang had ruled on a similar case, the instant suit had merely become an academic exercise and unnecessary.

He warned the AGF and the NDLEA chairman to be of good conduct and obey the subsisting order of court.

“There should be no overzealous conduct from either of the parties. Government agencies must abide by the rule of law to avoid anarchy,” he ruled.

“They (AGF and NDLEA Chairman) should be of good behaviour until their appeal is determined.

“No matter how aggrieved, they should abide by the order of court until there is a counter order from a superior court.

“For the avoidance of doubt, orders of Justice Abang are still subsisting and must be complied with.”

In the committal proceeding, Kashamu asked the court to declare that AGF and NDLEA chairman were in contempt of the court by violating a judgment on January 6, 2014, in suit number FHC/L/CS/49/2014.

He also asked the court to declare that the invasion, destruction of properties, harassment, humiliation, arrest and detention of Kashamu by NDLEA and any extradition proceeding commenced thereupon undermined the integrity of court.

Kashamu has been having a long-running battle with the anti narcotic agency over attempt to extradite him to the United States to answer drug related charges.