A Federal High Court in Lagos has repealed the extradition proceedings and arrest warrant procured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) against Senator-Elect for Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu.
Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling on an application argued by Kashamu’s lawyer, Alex Izion (SAN), quashed the extradition proceedings and arrest warrant issued by another Judge of the Federal High Court.
This is as another judge of the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Ibrahim Buba, on Monday restrained the NDLEA from arresting and arraigning Kashamu, in furtherance of the extradition charges.
Kashamu, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday filed another suit before Justice Buba, seeking an order to nullify the provisional warrant of arrest obtained by the NDLEA against him.
In a motion on notice filed before the court, Kashamu had equally asked the court to nullify the NDLEA’s application to commence extradition proceedings against him in a suit marked; FHC/ABJ/CS /479/2015, at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, had informed Justice Buba that despite an existing order, the NDLEA was still making arrangements to extradite his client.
He urged the court to grant the motion in the interest of justice.
In his submission, NDLEA’s lawyer, O. Ichakpa, maintained that the agency had not taken any step to undermine the processes before the court.
Justice Buba, after listening to the arguments of both lawyers, ordered that the NDLEA shall not in the face of subsisting judgment orders of the court and processes filed and pending, enforce or put to effect the warrant of arrest dated April 25, 2015.
The court also restrained the agency from arraigning Kashamu on the extradition process filed.
According to Buba, the restraining orders were necessary so as not to get conflicting orders while cases are pending and judgments or orders are also subsisting, including committal proceedings.
The matter was subsequently adjourned till June 19 for hearing.
Justice Buba, had on June 4, also fixed June 19 for hearing of the contempt proceedings filed by Kashamu against the Attorney-General of the Federation and the NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Glade.
The Senator-elect had dragged the duo to court in the aftermath of the plan by them to extradite him to the United States to answer to drug related charges.