Nigerian Government will soon file a fresh extradition proceeding against the lawmaker representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu, according to SUNDAY PUNCH.
This is as a result of the May 4, 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, dismantling the restraining orders of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court earlier obtained by the federal lawmaker.
The restraining orders of the Federal High Court in Lagos formed the ground for the July 1, 2015 decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss the earlier extradition proceedings instituted against the serving senator.
Sources at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja told our correspondent on Friday that the suit would be filed as soon as the United States of America sent a fresh request for the extradition of the senator.
Kashamu is said to be on the wanted list of the US government over his alleged involvement in illicit drug activities.
The ministry sources explained that the US government would need to make a formal request because the earlier one had been overtaken by events since it was used to institute the earlier proceedings, which the court dismissed on July 1, 2015.
They explained that the old request would have been useful if the former extradition suit was merely struck out and not dismissed.
Our correspondent learnt on Friday that the Central Authority Unit, which is the department of the Federal Ministry of Justice that deals with extradition issues, had promptly written to the US government on the issue following the latest court verdict.
The CAU specifically asked the US government to make a fresh request for the senator after the Federal High Court dismissed the former extradition suit on July 1, 2015.
One of the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated, “With the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, the coast is now clear to file fresh extradition proceedings.
“The US government has been told to make a fresh request for the senator after the former extradition proceedings were dismissed.
“We had been waiting for the orders hindering the extradition to be set aside by the appellate court.
“With the judgment of the Court of Appeal now, we would have just revived the former proceedings but since the case was not just struck out but dismissed by the Federal High Court, it means the process must start afresh.”
He added that as soon the US government “sends a fresh request, the new extradition proceedings will be commenced.”
The source explained that although the US government had been notified to send a fresh request since 2015, “it may be necessary to remind them since the coast is now clear to proceed.”
When reminded that Kashamu had appealed to the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the source said, “It will not stop the extradition proceedings once everything needed to set it in motion is ready”.