By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA – The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, not to take further steps in their alleged renewed bid to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States to face drug related charges.

Justice Babatunde Quadri gave the order following an ex-parte application that Kasamu who is representing Ogun East Senatorial District, filed through his lawyer, J. O. Odubela, SAN.

The court ordered all the parties to maintain their status quo pending the determination of Kashamu’s substantive suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/530/18.

Besides, Justice Quadri granted the applicant leave to serve processes in relation to the suit, including the originating summons, on the NDLEA outside the jurisdiction of the court at 4 Shaw Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The case was subsequently adjourned to September 24 for hearing of the substantive suit.

Kashamu’s lawyer told ithe court that his client’s life was in danger, saying the lawmaker decided to seek judicial protection after he was notified of plans by the respondents to forcibly extradite him to the US.

He maintained that if the court did not intervene and protect him by restraining the defendants from “abducting, arresting or detaining” him, his rights would be grossly violated before the suit is heard.

“We have showed that the applicant had even been tried in England and exonerated. Our contention is whether, in view of the judgment of the court in England, the FG or any of its agencies can still request the US to file a fresh request for the extradition of the applicant”, Odubela added.

Upon enquiry from the court, Odubela said the Court of Appeal gave judgment on May 4 this year and reversed the judgment by the Federal High Court, Lagos, prohibiting Kashamu’s extradition.

He said the Court of Appeal, in reversing the judgement, noted that there was no evidence that the AGF and NDLEA were taking steps to effect his extradition as at when the judgment was given.

“We have also appealed to the Supreme Court and filed a motion for injunction. Despite that, they (the defendants) have gone ahead to tell the US government that the case on the matter is over and that they can make fresh request for his extradition.”

He said the embattled lawmaker had since then, discovered that there are actual evidence of steps being taken by the defendants to extradite him.

Odubela informed the court that two days after the judgement of the Appeal Court, an official of the NDLEA, Shehu Abubakar, told his client that plans were at advance stage to have him arrested and taken to the US within a week.