Fed Court orders NDLEA to suspend action on Kashamu
Adetokunbo Fakeye
A Lagos Federal High Court on Thursday has asked the Nigeria anti-narcotic agency, NDLEA to suspend all actions on the move to extradite Buruji Kashamu, a Senator-elect from Ogun East to the United 
States to face alleged drug-trafficking offences trial.
The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, while adjourning hearing in all pending applications on the subject matter till June 19, said on Thursday that status quo must be maintained till all the applications were decided one way or the other.
Barrister Oluyede had put before the court a committal suit against the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chairman of NDLEA, citing them for contempt of court.
Responding, the NDLEA filed a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter and also seeking the reversal of the court order of May 26 which directed it to withdraw more than 50 of his operatives which had laid siege to Kashamu’s house.
At the resumed proceedings the NDLEA lawyer, A. M. Sunday, said the agency had yet to be served with the originating processes in Kashamu’s committal suit.
The counsel informed the court that all what the agency received was the court’s order of May 26 directing it to withdraw its armed operatives from Kashamu’s Lagos residence.
He however, said the NDLEA had filed a motion seeking to set aside the court order, adding that the jurisdiction of the court was also being challenged.
Kashamu’s lawyer, Mr. R.A. Oluyede, in opposition to NDLEA, said the agency’s motion had no relevance, saying it had been overtaken by events and urged the judge to make additional orders to prevent NDLEA from overreaching the court.
He also urged the court to nullify any warrant of arrest that might have been obtained through any source in an attempt to extradite Kashamu.
Oluyede pleaded with the court to declare the fresh move by the respondents to commence extradition proceedings against him in the face of the existing judgment of the court restraining them from doing so.
He also sought a court order directing the Inspector General of Police to provide security for Kashamu to prevent the respondents from making any attempt on his life.
Justice Buba in his ruling, declined granting any of the newly sought orders but ordered all the parties not to take any action capable of undermining the processes before the court.
According to the Judge, he would have to adjourn further hearing to allow the service of court papers on all the parties and held, “The matter before the court is that of committal and challenge to jurisdiction. I shall adjourn for the hearing of the applications on its merits.”
The matter was subsequently adjourned till June 19, for the hearing of all pending applications.
