Extradition: Court hears Kashamu’s fresh suit against FG Feb 5

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday further adjourned till February 5, 2019, hearing in a fresh suit filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu to challenge the alleged plan by the Federal Government to extradite him to the United States to face trial for an alleged illicit drug deal.

Justice C.J. Aneke adjourned the case due to the non-appearance of some of the defendants in the suit.

The defendants are the Inspector-General of Police; Commissioner of Police, Lagos State; Director-General, State Security Service (Department of State Services); the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency; and the Attorney General of the Federation.

The senator is seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from arresting or detaining the applicant or in any manner whatsoever interfering with the applicant’s right to personal liberty and freedom of movement”.

He is urging the court to declare that the instructions given by the AGF to the IG, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, DG of DSS and the NDLEA on May 25, 2018 were a breach of his fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement under sections 35 and 41 of the constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

Kashamu said the instructions given by the AGF to the other respondents followed a May 23, 2018 letter of protest which he wrote to the AGF to complain about the AGF’s invitation to the US to request his (Kashamu’s) extradition.

He is urging the court to declare that any attempt by the respondents to arrest him based on the AGF’s instructions would amount to a breach of his fundamental rights.

Kashamu has since 2015 been embroiled in legal battles with the defendants in a bid to stop the Federal Government from extraditing him to the US.

In response to his latest suit, the NDLEA filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit.

(PUNCH)