FG moves to extradite Buruji Kashamu to US
The process for the extradition to the USA of the once influential Southwest leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Buruji Kashamu, 56, got underway yesterday.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) placed him under house arrest at his Oladipo Omotoso Street, Lekki Phase 1 residence in Lagos preparatory to his extradition.
The agency said the Senator-elect for Ogun East will appear in court tomorrow to perfect the process.
A team of NDLEA operatives stormed Kashamu’s home as early as 5am to ensure that he did not escape.
His security guards were said to have first been disarmed by the NDLEA team.
Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, said in a terse statement through Michel Ofoyeju that “the Agency has commenced extradition procedures against Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu in line with the laws of country.
“He has been in contact with his attorneys and will appear in court on Monday.”
Kashamu and his aides immediately contacted media houses about the development.
His media aide, Austin Oniyokor, said the NDLEA action ”is a confirmation of the alleged plot to illegally abduct him in spite of the pending suit against this illegality.
“As a matter of fact, the court has ordered parties in the matter including the NDLEA to maintain status quo until judgment is delivered on Wednesday 27th May 2015.
“We have confirmed that they do not have a warrant of arrest, just as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice has said that it did not give any order to carry out this illegality.
“We have confirmed that this illegality is being designed and executed by Chief Bode George whose wife is the Director General of the NDLEA, all in a bid to score cheap political points.
“We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on NDLEA, Chief George and his wife to toe the path of the rule of law and follow due process.
“Nigeria is not a Banana republic! The United States being the bastion of democracy, the rule of law and due process should not lend itself to this kind of illegality.”
At about midday yesterday, the online publication, Sahara Reporters, said a distraught Kashamu in a telephone conversation threatened to kill himself rather than surrender to what he views as an unjust attempt to extradite him to the US.
But the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, said the move against Kasumu was not extra-judicial.
He said a formal request had been made by the American government for his extradition and same had been passed to the appropriate legal body.
He stressed that due process would be pursued with respect to the extradition.
Buruji, who was acclaimed as a friend of the Presidency, was said to have contacted the seat of power as soon as the NDLEA operatives swooped on his residence, to save him.
His Save My Soul message was reportedly turned down with officials insisting that the law must be allowed to take its course.
A presidency source said: “Government was not out to abduct Buruji and smuggle him to the United States. Rather, the NDLEA operatives went to effect his arrest in order to take him to court on Monday for the hearing of an extradition application against him.
“The application for the extradition cannot be heard by any court without a formal arraignment of the suspect in court.
“This procedure was adopted when a similar application was filed against a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Ehi Okoyomon, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“A formal request for the extradition of Buruji was sent by the US Government to the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN). There was nothing the government can do than to ask the NDLEA to comply.”
A security source said Buruji was tracked down after three-week surveillance.
He added: “The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan also wanted to demonstrate that it had not been shielding Buruji from extradition as being alleged.
“If you look at the case, Buruji has been on and off the court on this extradition by filing frivolous applications in court. And recently, he lost at a Federal High Court paving the way for the manhunt for him.
“Buruji is equally a difficult suspect whose movement is always shrouded in secrecy. But after three-week surveillance, we got intelligence report and decided to act faster before he slips away again.”
A third source said government decided to arrest Buruji because it does not want the administration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari to take the credit.
“Jonathan’s government had been slow on extradition process because Buruji used to be a financier of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West.
“This slowness has tainted the image of the government. So, Jonathan’s administration chose to act at the late hours to prove that it can arrest Buruji. It is a kind of face-saving move.
There was palpable anxiety in his Ijebu political base yesterday as news of his house arrest spread.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that while his supporters were worried that the arrest of their benefactor was bad for them politically and economically, others were not bothered.
Although, nobody was willing to have his name in print but those who spoke said a lot of people benefited from his large heart through his Omo Ilu Foundation.
Kashamu said he was not the one being wanted in the United state for criminal related matter, adding that a sitting court in the United Kingdom had equally acquitted him of any wrongdoing.
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