Buruji Kashamu: NDLEA Is Unprofessional

The NDLEA said on Tuesday, June 2,
2015, that it had filed an extradition suit
against Kashamu and had served same
on him on Monday, June 1.
Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu has
responded to an extradition notice
served on him by the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NDLEA said on Tuesday, June 2,
2015, that it had filed an extradition suit
against Kashamu and had served same
on him on Monday, June 1.
In response however, Kashamu, speaking
through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede of
TRLP Law, accused the agency of
unprofessionalism.
A statement released by Oluyede reads as
follows:
“Our attention has been drawn to a
press release by the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) purporting
to have served extradition proceedings
on Senator-elect, Prince Buruji
Kashamu.”
“We wish to state that the NDLEA has no
role to play in extradition proceedings
until a warrant of arrest has been issued
by the court. It is the Attorney-General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice
that initiates extradition proceedings
after receiving a request by an order
directed to the court and asking the
court to take over the matter.”
“It is the court that will decide whether a
warrant of arrest is necessary. It is the
court that will consider all the evidence
provided by the United States to see
whether it satisfies the onus of proof and
that it establishes that the person sough
is the person that actually participated in
the offence alleged.”
“In this case, the NDLEA is very jumpy,
nervous and unsettled because it has
exposed its unprofessionalism when
before any extradition proceedings had
been commenced at all, it invaded the
home of Prince Kashamu, broke down
his gates, doors and windows to gain
access, harassed his infant children and
pregnant wife and humiliated him in the
presence of his family.”
“Clearly, the plan was not extradition
but abduction and that plan failed only
because it quickly came to the attention
of the public.”
“The belated filing on Thursday, 28th
May, 2015 of an application to the
Federal High Court by the immediate
past Attorney-General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed
Adoke Bello, is an afterthought. And the
lack of quality in the processes is
indicative that it is a rushed job quickly
done to save his face.”
“The triumphant announcement by the
NDLEA that they have served Prince
Kashamu with extradition proceedings is
not only laughable but false. He has not
been served. Rather, a copy of the
process was dropped in our office in
Lagos yesterday. So, we shall deal with it
in accordance with the law.”
“In the meantime, the NDLEA should be
warned to stay away because they have
no role to play in the current
proceedings. And if we should discover
that they have usurped the functions of
the AGF, we shall certainly make an
issue of it.”
The NDLEA had, on Saturday May 23,
staged a siege on Kashamu’s home in a
bid to arrest and extradite him but failed
to achieve the aim for lack of a warrant.