This is not the end, NDLEA tells Kashamu

The national drug law enforcement agency (NDLEA) has told Buruji Kashamu, the Ogun East senator-elect that his attempted extradition by the agency is far from over.

In a statement released on Friday, Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA’s head of public affairs, said that its mission was not to abduct Kashamu but to follow due process in extraditing him.

“This is not the end of the case as the NDLEA has filed a formal extradition process at the Federal High Court. The Agency is following the due process of law and will ensure that national interest is balanced against the constitutional rights of Mr. Kashamu,” he said.

“The mission of the NDLEA is not and has never been to abduct him, but to engage the extradition process. The agency is taking necessary steps to ensure that Mr. Kashamu will be available to stand trial on extradition charges as required by law.

“To this end, the NDLEA has a provisional warrant of arrest on him, as well as a formal request for his extradition. The honourable thing for him to do is to submit to the due process of the law as pledged.”

Ofoyeju said NDLEA would comply with all of the federal high court injunctions not to forcefully abduct Kashamu.

“The NDLEA wishes to reiterate that it would comply with all court orders and not forcefully abduct and take him to the United States for trial.

“It is pertinent to state that the court did not prevent the Agency from embarking on extradition process against Mr. Kashamu.

“The court held that the respondents cannot be restrained perpetually from arresting the applicant and that they were only restrained from arresting him without a warrant of arrest and for forcibly abducting and taking him from Nigeria without recourse to the due process of law as enshrined in the extradition Act.”

NDLEA officials laid siege on Kashamu’s Lekki residence on Saturday, May 23, 2015, following claims that it had received extradition request from the United State (US).

After a series of judicial tussle, the officials were ordered to vacate Kashamu’s house and pay him N10,000.