Kashamu Buruji; Photo: The News Nigeria
A Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, wanted by the United States government for alleged drug offences, hid in his apartment’s toilet in Lagos for six days as Nigerian anti-narcotic agents raided his home and placed him under house arrest two weeks ago, his lawyer said Thursday.
The lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, told a federal court in Lagos that Mr. Kashamu remained in hiding while 20 masked operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency took over his bedroom.
Mr. Oluyede said despite an earlier ruling of the court that the NDLEA lift its siege on Mr. Kashamu’s home, the agency only withdrew its personnel after he was compelled to sign an undertaking.
‘’The only reason they left was because I signed an undertaking,” Mr. Oluyede said. “My client was in a toilet for six days with 20 masked armed men in his bedroom. So, I signed the undertaking before they left. They should not claimto have obeyed the order of the court.”
Mr. Kashamu’s lawyer urged the court to nullify any warrant of arrest that might have been obtained by the NDLEA from any source in an attempt to extradite his client.
The judge, Ibrahim Bubba, ordered the Attorney General of Nigeria, the NDLEA not to take any further action to extradite Mr. Kashamu to the United States, until the proceedings before him are determined.
Repeating his earlier orders, Justice Buba said ‘’at the expense of being repetitive, the defendants who are alleged contemnor are once again ordered not to do anything that will undermine the suit before the court. It is the duty of all parties to obey the order of court’’.
‘’Therefore, counsel should note that the motion to set aside the orders of court and the mainapplication has not been argued. So the court has to adjourn this matter in order for parties to be served appropriately so that justice can be done,” he stated.
He said the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction subsists until they are set aside.
He said whether the orders were made rightly or wrongly, parties are bound by that order of the court no matter how perverse the order may seem to be.
Justice Buba therefore adjourned the suit to June 19 for hearing of contempt proceedings against the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, and the NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade.
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