By Innocent Anaba

Lagos—Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, refused an application for stay of proceedings in the committal application by the Senator representing Ogun East, Ogun State in the Senate, Prince Buruji Kashamu, against the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and the Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade.

Meanwhile, the court, adjourned till today, to rule on whether to commit the AGF and Ahmadu Giade to prison, after hearing arguments on the contempt application.

The AGF, represented by Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, had urged the judge to stay further proceedings in the matter pending an appeal lodged at the Court of Appeal, challenging an order of the court made on June 8.

It will be recalled that on June 8, Justice Buba had restrained the respondents from embarking or taking any step (s) to extradite Kashamu to the United States of America for trial in connection with an alleged drug crime.

Kashamu

Ngige had urged the court to stay proceedings as a mark of respect for the superior court, and not to bring about a situation of conflicting decision of Federal High Court and Appeal Court.

But Justice Buba, in a short ruling, said he would not be bamboozled with an application at the Court of Appeal, which was yet to be entered.

The court also rejected another application by the NDLEA, asking for the vacation of an ex-parte order made by the court on May 25.

NDLEA’s Director of Prosecution, Mr James Sunday, had while arguing the application, contended that the court was misled by Kashamu’s lawyers in granting the ex-parte order.

According to him, the judgment of Justice Okon Abang (another judge of the Federal High Court) upon which the committal application was predicated was read in isolation of the damaging aspect.

He said in the judgment, Justice Abang made it  clear that the restraining order was only in respect of a petition written against Kashamu by a group known as the Concerned Citizens of Ogun State.

He said the issues in the judgment had nothing to do with an extradition request made to Nigeria by the United States in 2015.

In his reply, Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede faulted NDLEA argument, insisting that there was no concealment of any material facts.

In another short ruling, Justice Buba upheld Oluyede’s submission, and rejected the application  to set aside the ex-parte order.

Justice Buba, afterwards, entertained arguments in respect of the committal application and reserved judgment to today.