The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has rejected a court order issued on Tuesday, May 26, directing its personnel to vacate Buruji Kashamu’s home.
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| Senator-elect Bruji Kashamu |
The anti-narcotics watch dog, said the alleged court order would not stop it from performing its duties “in a lawful manner”.
Mr. Kashamu, who was elected senator Ogun East, is wanted in the United States for drug related offences and has repeatedly claimed that officials in America have a situation of mistaken identity.
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, issued a ruling ordering NDLEA operatives, who had laid siege on Mr. Kashamu’s home in Lagos, since the early hours of Saturday, to vacate the politician’s house. But the NDLEA said it had not received the court order and described media reports of the judge’s decision as “diversionary and inconsequential.”
The NDLEA said Kashamu, was under house arrest after it received a formal extradition request from the U.S.
Kashamu had on Monday failed to appear for the extradition hearing, with his lawyers claiming that the anti-narcotics agency did not have a court warrant for the house arrest.
The court had also summoned Mohammed Adoke and Ahmadu Giade, the attorney general of the federation and the chairman of the NDLEA respectively, to appear at the next adjourned date.
Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA spokesperson in a statement said: “The NDLEA does not believe that any court will issue an order preventing a government agency from performing its statutory responsibilities in a lawful manner.”
“The agency has therefore refused to be distracted and will continue to maintain presence at the residence. It is advisable that Kashamu respects the law by submitting himself to the due process of the law.
“The NDLEA wishes to reiterate that his rights like that of other citizens shall be respected and the due process of law followed in this case.
“The NDLEA wishes to reiterate that his rights like that of other citizens shall be respected and the due process of law followed in this case.
“The agency is prepared to further increase her public rating and goodwill in the areas of suspect handling, respect for human rights and the rule of law. We are prepared to explore all legal means in handling this case to a logical conclusion.”
The NDLEA said the American government had sent a formal request for Kashamu’s extradiction while denying claims by the alleged drug baron’s lawyers that, the agency does not have a provisional warrant of arrest on him.
Ofeyeju said: “According to official record, Kashamu has been a target of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for over 20 years and was further indicted by the Grand Jury in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on heroin trafficking charges.”
Kashamu, who is allegedly wanted in the United States of America for drug related offences, has accused ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, of working with local and foreign security agencies to exile him to the USA by unlawful means.
The senator-elect said Obasanjo was involved in the supposed plan to extradite him to the United States over drug-related offences because of the defeat Obasanjo suffered in the PDP.
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