The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has advised the
Senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji
Kashamu, to concentrate his effort on defending himself before
the Federal High Court where he is expected to appear on
Monday (today).
The agency reiterated that the decision to drag him before the
court followed a formal request for his extradition by the
United States.
In a statement by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju
Mitchell, on Sunday, the NDLEA urged Kashamu to save his
energy for the hearing of the extradition application.
Kashamu is the Chairman, Organisastion and Mobilisation
Committee of the PDP in the South-West and he was a
staunch supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-
election bid.
He fell out with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and
teamed up with President Goodluck Jonathan during the battle
for the control of the party in Ogun State.
The agency said it was wrong of Kashamu to finger Obasanjo
and a leader of the PDP in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, as
being behind his present travails.
According to the NDLEA, Kashamu had been on the wanted
list of both the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of
Homeland Security.
The statement read in part, “According to an official report,
Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the US Drug
Enforcement Administration, and the Immigration and
Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland
Security.
“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois,
United States, on charges brought against him by ICE.
“According to the United States court documents, Kashamu in
his days as the leader of a prolific heroin-trafficking ring
based in Chicago, Illinois, was known as ‘god,’ ‘Daddy, and
‘Kasmal.’ He is wanted to stand trial for charges of
conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely
heroin, into the United States dating back to 1994.
“Kashamu, who holds dual Nigerian/Beninoise citizenship, has
taken multiple pre-emptive actions to thwart US extradition
efforts such as claiming that he was being mistaken for his
deceased brother whom he claimed committed the alleged
offences in the US.”
The statement also said that Kashamu had filed injunctions at
courts in the Northern District of Illinois, United States, and in
Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
The NDLEA said, “These are issues that Kashamu should
prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at
eminent elder statesmen who have no connection with the
ongoing investigative process. The senator who was placed
on house arrest at the weekend is expected to appear in court
in less than 24 hours.
“We expect Kashamu, as a distinguished senator-elect, to
demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial system
and stop the blame game.”
Meanwhile, armed NDLEA operatives have gained access into
the residence of the embattled politician, where he has been
confined to his bedroom.
His lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, who spoke with our
correspondent near the residence, on Sunday, said Kashamu
had not been allowed to leave his bedroom since Saturday.
Oluyede said, “He has been locked inside the room while about
15 armed operatives are in the house. As I speak to you, I
have not even seen him. We have only been talking through
the door.
This is disheartening because his little children and his
pregnant wife are all in the house with him.”
When asked to comment on the allegation that Kashamu
threatened suicide, the lawyer said, “He is obviously
traumatised but I wouldn’t say he is suicidal.”
Oluyede alleged that the NDLEA had no plan of taking
Kashamu to court on Monday (today) but only later decided
to do so because the media got involved.
“Their plan was to get him as early as 4am and put him on
the plane to the United States. It was never their plan to take
him to court. It was when the media reported the incident
that they decided to take him to court,” he said.
About 15 patrol vehicles were seen blocking all entries that
lead to Kashamu’s home while over 20 security agents were
seen patrolling the street.
Residents of the estate were made to take alternative routes
as all roads leading to Kashamu’s home were blocked.
In his reaction, the media aide to Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor,
however, berated the drug agency, accusing it of being the
mouthpiece of Obasanjo and George.
The statement said, “We do not know when the NDLEA
becomes the spokespersons for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and
Chief Bode George. We do not need them to tell us to address
our issues.
“We are addressing our issues. We had told the court of the
planned abduction of Kashamu and the NDLEA was
represented. The court had given an order asking all the
parties to stay action, pending the determination of the suit
which had been fixed for Wednesday.”
Oniyokor explained that Kashamu refused to hand himself over
to the NDLEA operatives, who stormed his Lagos residence on
Ladipo Street, Lekki Phase 1, on Saturday, because they could
not produce a warrant of arrest.
He said if the NDLEA provides a warrant of arrest against
Kashamu, the PDP chieftain would “hand himself over to them
but if not, he will not.”
But a member of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer
Babatope, described the allegation by Kashamu that George
was behind his travails as sad and ridiculous.
A statement by Babatope on Sunday said, “It is sad and
ridiculous of Senator-elect, Chief Buruji Kashamu, to accuse
Chief Bode George of being behind his current ordeal with the
men of the NDLEA.
“This allegation is not true. I have known George for over 46
years and I know him never to go on a witch-hunt of anyone
as a result of personal differences or disagreements. Though
the wife of George is the Director-General of the NDLEA, he
can never attack the person of Kashamu.
“I call on Kashamu to look somewhere else in locating those
who might have been involved in his travails.”
Culled: Punch
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