The embattled Ogun State Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, has refused to surrender himself to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who stormed his Lagos residence to convey him to court for his extradition trial.
Kashamu is insisting that the NDLEA must produce a warrant of arrest in line with the extradition treaty before he can be taken to court.
A short message sent to journalists by Kashamu’s Personal Assistant, Austin Oniyokor, reads: “It has just come to limelight that the NDLEA did not obtain a warrant of arrest from the court as required by the extradition treaty.
“Kashamu’s lawyer, Barrister Ajibola Oluyede, requested from them the court we are going to only to be told that they are just going to file the papers as no court has been assigned with the case or has ordered his arrest.”
Meanwhile, many of his supporters stormed the court on Monday in solidarity with the embattled senator-elect, carrying placards with various inscriptions.
Some of the messages on the placards read: “Leave Kashamu alone”, “We voted for him, he is our man”, “Kashamu is a great state man”, “Kashamu is not a drug baron”, “Illegal detention, illegal arrest must stop”.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, had on Saturday said that the arrest of Senator-elect Kashamu is not an extra-judicial action.
According to him a formal request has been made by the American government seeking his extradition and same has been passed to the appropriate legal body.
He added that due process and all legal proceedings would be pursued with respect to his extradition.
The senator-elect had also in a statement signed by his media aide, described as illegal the decision by the drug law enforcement agency to surround his house in the early hours of Saturday.
He also accused PDP chieftain, Mr Bode George, whose wife is the Director-General of the Agency, of being behind the action.
•Sourced from Channels TV. Photo shows Kashamu.
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